City of Kelowna looks to double transit ridership and quadruple bike trips by 2040

Kelowna city council has given its endorsement to an ambitious plan that seeks to get more people out of the vehicles over the next 20 years.

The city's draft 2040 Transportation Master Plan, revealed Monday, seeks to double transit ridership and quadruple the number of trips made by bicycle while, at the same time, reducing the average distance each motorist drives by 20 per cent.

The plan seeks to take action on more than 100 recommendations, with investments over the next 20 years prioritized with broad, citywide benefits in mind.

Transportation planning manager Mariah VanZerr says of the localized investment, three quarters would support growth within the Kelowna urban centres, mirroring the growth envisioned by the Official Community Plan, which is expected to be adopted later this year.

"Kelowna is growing, our climate is changing and our transportation needs are evolving," said VanZerr.

"The plan will help us reduce the growth of carbon emissions which contribute to extreme heat, fires and floods.

"It will help us accommodate more trips while reducing our car dependence, and maintain and protect the Kelowna lifestyle we all value.

Transportation planner Cameron Noonan says the city will look to make investments in six key areas, including maintenance and renewal, transit, road connections, biking, neighbourhood streets and education and emerging technology.

Maintenance and Renewal

"The TMP recommends increasing investment by almost 30 per cent which will fund activities such as snow removal, fixing potholes, repairing sidewalks and replacing aging infrastructure," said Noonan.

Transit

"The TMP aims to make transit faster and more reliable," he told council.

These would include a new operations centre, potential dedicated transit lanes on Harvey and more frequent service along the busiest routes.

Noonan says the recommended level of investment would result in a 65 per cent increase in transit service by 2040, with buses on some routes potentially coming as frequently as every six to eight minutes during peak hours.

Road Connections

Noonan says road connections will still be important despite the desire to move more people through walking, biking and transit.

He says a substantial increase in roadway funding is recommended, including extending Hollywood Road North from McCurdy to UBCO, extending Clement from Spall Road to Highway 33 and improvements to Rutland Road.

Biking

Noonan says biking has a strong potential for growth in Kelowna. The key to making it an attractive option is through a network of "comfortable routes protected from traffic."

Upgrades could include connecting the Rail Trail to the Mission Creek Greenway, making it easier to bike to UBCO and adding new connections through downtown along Bertran Street and Lawrence Avenue.

Neighbourhood Streets

While the cornerstone of the 2040 OCP is to create walkable streets in the core areas, Noonan says sidewalks, safe crossings and traffic calming are often lacking in some of those neighbourhoods.

"The TMP recommends increased funding for safer crossing, traffic calming and sidewalks, including a new program to fill in sidewalk gaps in the core area."

Education

"The TMP recommends education and programs such as bicycle skills training for students and adults, transit travel training along with bicycle maps and wayfinding.

"Expanding the safe routes to school program to get more students biking and walking to school safely, as well as developing an accessibility transition plan to better understand and address the transportation challenges facing people with disabilities."

The final version of the plan is expected to come back before council before the end of the year.