Traffic through Parksville is getting a closer look in a bid to reduce safety concerns and improve connectivity. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

safe streets

Parksville studying ‘connectivity, congestion, or safety issues’ in local road network

Jul 22, 2023 | 10:21 AM

PARKSVILLE — In a bid to plan more for the future, City staff are beginning to take a closer look at the present.

A new study on traffic patterns will begin Monday, July 24 to help create a new transportation master plan for the City of Parksville. The study is coming at a cost of $150,000.

City manager of infrastructure Joe Doxey said data will be collected in at least 16 different areas of the region.

“It’s mainly along Hwy. 19A and Alberni Hwy. area where the new data count locations are going to be. Most of those about, nine or 10 of them, are going to be at intersections, and then there is going to be some mid-block counts as well.”

The work is in partnership with ongoing looks at traffic in the city which has taken place over the last three years.

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Overall, around 100 different locations on local roads are under the microscope.

“The goal of the project is to evaluate the transportation networks, so the roads as network as a whole, to have a conversation with the community…to learn where there may be barriers or conflicts or issues whether it be connectivity, congestion, or safety issues for various modes of transportation.”

Public engagement is scheduled for the fall and will help put the data into context by hearing from residents about their experiences navigating through Parksville.

Volumes fluctuate substantially in the community, from predominantly resident traffic through the fall and winter to a surge of tourist volume in spring and summer.

The last Parksville transportation master plan was adopted by Council 2016 and forced some changes to traffic flow as a result.

“One of the things that was implemented was on Alberni Hwy. and Memorial Ave., we changed an intersection,” Doxey said. “We actually ended up one-waying Memorial Ave. as part of a recent capital project, and we actually completely eliminated a vehicle intersection on the highway.”

He added the work done post-2016 plan also made the City safer for pedestrians by cleaning up a conflict point on the highway at Memorial Ave.

This year’s traffic count is is expected to be finished in early August.

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