Active Transportation Plan looks to improve connections across Prince George

“I think, with how comprehensive this plan is in terms of its interconnectivity, its desire to be accessible for all ages and abilities, and even at a school district level, it’s a hard document for the city to ignore,” Ross said.

He credited the City of Prince George and Urban Systems with capturing what residents may want and need from an active transportation network and, importantly, providing direction on how that vision could be implemented.

Prince George’s large geographic footprint presents an obvious challenge, but Ross said the size of the community should not be treated as a barrier to improving active transportation.

“The 319 square kilometres of area in Prince George shouldn’t be a barrier, because bike lanes and accessible walking infrastructure predicate more development in areas,” he said. “So having those things accessible makes that neighbourhood more desirable.”

Ross believes a stronger network could also play a role in how Prince George presents itself to prospective residents, particularly younger people drawn to the city’s outdoor lifestyle and the University of Northern British Columbia.

He pointed to UNBC’s identity as “Canada’s Green University” and said he has spoken with first-year students who identified that environmental reputation as one reason for choosing the university.

Ross said active transportation could become part of a similar identity for the city.

“That could be something that I think that Prince George can have as its calling card, especially as we brand ourselves as a bit more of an outdoor community,” he said.

“We can have these wonderful outdoor infrastructures to help bring people in and actually live the outdoor city vibe that we try to advertise.”

While the plan sets out a vision, turning that vision into infrastructure will come with challenges.

One identified area is the Hart Highway.

Former city councillor Susan Scott, who was actively involved with the committee that helped create the plan, said discussions included the Ministry of Transportation and Transit because of the complexities associated with the highway.

“The highway was a big deal,” Scott said. “The Ministry of Transportation and Transit was able to come to the table and have conversation, but there are some interesting stretches along that highway and some interesting approaches by various people using that highway.”

Scott also proposed reviving a council select committee as a way of ensuring the work contained in the Active Transportation Plan continues.

“Not to be coy, but to keep it moving, to keep the process going, and to get to the outcome of the plan themes that they discussed about connecting, integrating, enabling and encouraging,” she said.

Such a committee could provide a continuing focus for the active transportation file as the community moves from planning toward decisions about implementation.

Ross said he would be interested in being part of that discussion.

“Especially because my interest lies within active transportation, specifically biking, I think I could be a potential asset to a potential active transportation committee,” he said.

The plan arrives as Prince George continues to balance the practical realities of its geography with efforts to create more options for residents travelling through the city.

For Ross, improving infrastructure such as bike lanes and accessible walking routes is about more than simply giving cyclists somewhere to ride. He sees it as part of creating neighbourhoods people want to live in and reinforcing Prince George’s image as an outdoor community.

Whether a dedicated active transportation committee will be brought back will ultimately be a decision for the new city council.

But with the plan now accepted, the framework for expanding and connecting active transportation in Prince George is in place.

The next question is how that vision translates from the plan into the streets, neighbourhoods and transportation corridors of the city.

by Cheryl Jahn

Active Transportation Plan looks to improve connections across Prince George

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