Perth Drive Sidewalk
Improvements will include the removal of invasive plant species, construction of a new concrete sidewalk, installation of new wheelchair letdowns, new concrete curb and gutter, a new zebra crosswalk at Portree Way, sign installation, and drainage improvements. The existing ditches and mature trees will be retained. As part of the improvements, existing driveways will be reconstructed to meet the District Subdivision and Development Bylaw #2649 of 6m driveway width.
Timeline
Construction of the sidewalk is scheduled to begin in June 2023 by Alpine Paving and is anticipated to be completed by September 30, 2023, weather permitting.
Budget: $1.1M
Construction contractor: Alpine Contracting. Please contact Gene Smith at 604-834-5682 or email gene@alpinepaving.com
Impacts
- To minimize the impact on homeowners, the Contractor has committed to limiting the closure of a residential driveway to a maximum of five days.
- The work will be conducted in phases to allow parking on the west side of Perth Drive for residential use while driveway access is closed.
- During construction, there will be single lane alternating traffic in place.
- While we will make every effort to minimize inconvenience during construction, some disruption may be unavoidable.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation.
Background
In 2021, the District surveyed residents about active transportation and traffic calming in the Perth Drive and Highlands Way North area. Of the options presented, the most highly supported was active transportation upgrades to Perth Drive (78% support). In 2022, the District conducted a follow-up survey to understand the level of support for a modified design that replaced the existing on-street bike lane with a sidewalk (design changes were related to cost). 65% of respondents supported this new design.
For more information about the surveys and the overall project, please visit Perth Drive Active Transportation Improvements at Let's Talk Squamish.
Based on the outcomes of the surveys and the District’s goal to improve active and safe routes to school, the District is proceeding to construction of the west-side sidewalk on Perth Drive.
For any inquiries regarding this project, please contact Jon Allan at jonallan@squamish.ca or phone 604-848-4842
April 25, 2023
Post your comment
Comments
Dave Colwell Aug 19, 2023, 1:09 AM (11 months ago)
Let's see, basically, all you have done is raised the existing bike/pedestrian lane by pouring a large amount of concrete and have disrupted many homeowner driveways. You have made it unsafe for cyclists to use the newly raised pathway and have forced them to exclusively use the road which is well-used by many vehicles. I never used the original lane going down Perth with my bike so of no personal concern. But this project cost a lot of money. I would like to say "Well done!" But that would seem sarcastic.
Meagan McPherson Aug 5, 2023, 7:53 PM (11 months ago)
Hi there,
So assuming the sidewalk will now just be for pedestrians is all bike traffic now to use the east side of the road? The road isn’t wide enough to have southbound bikers on the west side with a sidewalk. What is the plan for bike traffic? I feel for all the families that have kids biking to school on Perth. What this will do is push more traffic to highlands way north as it will be safer for kids on bikes than Perth. This will ultimately make Highlands way north more dangerous than it already is. Especially at the corner of highlands way north and Pitlochory.
David Colwell Jul 9, 2023, 3:41 PM (12 months ago)
I concur with most of the comments here below. Perth is the most used bike thoroughfare in the highlands and its use in this respect should be preserved as is. I have not seen any conflicts between users (bikes, walkers, and children going to and from school). Any narrowing of the road pavement will be counterproductive. Council speaks of their action in relation to a public survey on this...I would suggest that this is yet another example of 'convenient filtering' prior to resultant action.
Patrick Stafford-Smith Jul 1, 2023, 7:10 AM (12 months ago)
Active transportation is critical, but removing the dual purpose bike lane and sidewalk for a raised concrete sidewalk is going to funnel traffic into a narrower area and create more vehicle / bike conflicts . Many kids ride bikes to school and wi be out I. Harms way. Also, the existing bike lane is used regularly by all ages of cyclists 24/7.
I don’t feel this plan gave full consideration of all roadway users and amuses - the current bike lane is flexible for so many users, it’s a shame to lose it.
(I hope the SQ road crews are given resources to clear snow from
this new sidewalk in the winter)
Gwen L'Hirondelle Jul 1, 2023, 4:02 AM (12 months ago)
I provided the following comment during the initial survey and did not receive an answer. With the existing bike lane at street level, the snow plows are mostly able to clear the lane (also functioning as a walkway) in winter. Raising a sidewalk is going to eliminate the ability of plows to do that. Will the by-law requiring homeowners to clear the sidewalk be enforced? When a ditch separates the sidewalk from properties, it seems to me that homeowners are less likely to comply with the by-law. A walk along the Blvd during ice and snow season can be very difficult and my guess is that we will have a similar situation along Perth this winter.
Chris Malthaner Jun 10, 2023, 4:04 PM (13 months ago)
I understand the desire to keep school children and pedestrians safe along Perth with a sidewalk. Will the bike lane remain? If not, then this is doing a dis service to cyclists. There should also be a cycling lane on the other side of the street. Mountain biking is a major business here in Squamish, lets make it safe for them to get to the trails from designated 'HUB' parking locations.
David Gayton Jun 3, 2023, 3:36 AM (13 months ago)
Was there really a problem? I have lived on Perth for nine years and have not seen or heard of serious accidents. Walkers, bikers and most drivers are safe and respectful. I see 3-6 year olds going gleefully down Perth on their bikes, mainly in the bike lane. Now, if there is a sidewalk with a hard curb, they will be forced to ride in the road. The District has major infrastructure needs. Do not spend money on a make work project!
Communications Jun 6, 2023, 8:51 PM (13 months ago)
Hello David, thank you for your comment.
Perth Drive is a priority for safety upgrades given its proximity to the nearby school. With the increasing volume of vehicles travelling this road, it’s paramount for children to have a safe route to school where they’re not in direct conflict with vehicles. As noted above, the District surveyed residents about active transportation and traffic calming in the Perth Drive and Highlands Way North resulting in respondents supporting the current design. Based on the outcomes of the surveys and the District’s goal to improve active and safe routes to school, the District is proceeding with the construction of the west-side sidewalk on Perth Drive.
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