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1. Why is the City making active transportation improvements on Guildford?

The council-adopted City Centre Area Plan identifies Guildford Way as a citywide greenway in the active transportation network plan. Guildford Way serves as a key regional connection in the Tri-Cities, but also serves many key destinations, parks, schools, and other City facilities, making the corridor popular for all modes of transportation.  

The active transportation improvements not only make walking, biking and rolling more comfortable, but also help to address overall road safety concerns on Guildford Way. 

Prior to the improvements, Guildford Way had wide vehicle lanes, which can lead to poor driver behavior and a lack of speed limit compliance, narrow painted bicycle lanes, which can put people using micromobility devices at greater risk, and several intersections had been identified as higher-risk due to the number and frequency of crashes happening. 

Narrowing the vehicle lanes, with the addition of wider sidewalks and protected micromobility lanes can help to reduce vehicle speeds and the likelihood of serious crashes. 

Similarly, the fully-protected intersection design at Pinetree Way improves comfort for active transportation users as well as safety and intersection operations for everyone including drivers of vehicles.

2. Why is the City focusing on road safety and active transportation improvements?

Coquitlam is currently updating its Transportation Plan and a Road Safety Strategy, and throughout public engagement, residents have expressed that they want to walk and bike more, but want to feel safer and more comfortable doing so. 

Top reported concerns and major barriers were with road safety, traffic speed and dangerous drivers (40%) as well as a lack of protected bicycle lanes or crossings (38%).The road safety and active transportation improvement projects will:

• Help create a connected, reliable, and safe place to walk, roll or bike, for those currently doing so and for people who are hesitant to do so today.
• Contribute to a more equitable transportation network, by providing alternative options to driving, including for students, seniors and people with visual and/or mobility impairments 
• Improve accessibility for people using wheelchairs, walkers, and mobility aids
• Help meet the City’s Transportation Plan 2050 goals:
  • Encouraging 50% of people making sustainable trips (walking, micromobility and transit)
  • Achieving Vision Zero (zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries)
  • Achieving zero transportation GHG emissions

3. What is micromobility?

Micromobility refers to the use of affordable, lightweight and low-speed personal mobility vehicles for transportation or recreation purposes, including:

• bicycles
• electric bicycles
• scooters
• electric kick scooters

4. Why was Guildford Way chosen over Glen Drive for these changes?

The council-adopted City Centre Area Plan identifies Guildford Way as a citywide greenway in the active transportation network plan (PDF). Guildford Way serves as a key regional connection in the Tri-Cities, but also serves many key destinations, parks, schools, and other City facilities, making the corridor popular for all modes of transportation.

5. What are the intersection changes at Pinetree Way and Guildford Way?

• No right-turn-on-red: Right turns in all directions are not allowed when the traffic light is red. 
• Protected left-turn phasing: Left turns are only permitted when a left-turn arrow on the traffic signal is visible. 
• Conversion of slip lane to standard turn lane: The existing southbound right turn lane on Pinetree has been converted into a standard right turn lane. 
• Leading interval for people walking and using micromobility devices: People walking and using micromobility devices are given a head start to cross the intersection before drivers are permitted to enter the intersection.

6. Why implement these intersection changes at Pinetree Way and Guildford Way?

According to ICBC data, 82% of crashes in the Lower Mainland with pedestrians happen at intersections. Implementing these intersection changes (i.e. protected left turns, no-right-turn-on red etc.) significantly reduces the likelihood of serious crashes, in particular at a high-volume intersection like Guildford Way and Pinetree Way. From 2018 to 2022, there were 142 crashes at Guildford Way and Pinetree Way reported to ICBC. 

No right-turn-on-red: 

• Eliminates the challenge for drivers to pay attention to both oncoming vehicle traffic from the left and people crossing the street; and
• Prevents drivers from pulling out into the crosswalk while people are still crossing the street. 

Protected left-turn phasing:

• Eliminates nearly all conflicts between left-turning drivers, oncoming vehicle traffic, and people crossing the street
• Reduces the challenge for drivers by eliminating the need to monitor both oncoming traffic and people crossing the street, simplifying driver decision-making (such as waiting for gaps in traffic)
• Reduces left-turn crashes for all modes by as much as 99% when they replace permissive left turns.

Conversion of slip lane to standard turn lane:

• Simplifies the intersection design, making it easier to navigate for people walking, rolling and biking;
• Slows down drivers making right-turns ;
• Improves the visibility of oncoming traffic, pedestrians and micromobility users for drivers; and
• Creates space for the protected intersection design.

Leading interval for people walking and using micromobility devices: 

• Improves the visibility of people walking and using micromobility devices to drivers making right turns.

7. What is the impact to the vehicle travel lanes with the new roadway design?

The vehicle lanes were slightly narrowed to make room for protected micromobility lanes and wider sidewalks, while still allowing enough space for buses and large trucks. 

The number of vehicle travel lanes and turn lanes remained the same.

8. How much do the Guildford road safety and active transportation improvements cost? How is the project funded?

The cost for Guildford Phase 1 totaled $4.9 million, with $3 million funded by partners. The City of Coquitlam received $2.5 million from TransLink’s Local Government Cost Share Programs, $500,000 from the BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants Program and $132,000 from ICBC. 

The remaining funds came from Development Cost Charges that help serve the growth within the City Centre Area.