Active transportation – that’s walking and biking – was a key topic of discussion at a public budget meeting last night in Kamloops.

 

It’s one of the 13 items on the city’s supplemental budget list – the ask this year is for $375,000 to speed up these capital projects.

Councillor Kathy Sinclair says sidewalks are a big part of active transportation.

“Areas of the North Shore – Parkcrest – that don’t have any sidewalks at all,” she said. “New areas like Aberdeen have sidewalks.”

“The current list of short term and medium term transportation actions, it’s going to take us 24 years just to do those. I don’t want to wait 24 years personally, and we definitely heard that from a number of people.”

City staff estimate that the extra money, if approved, will shave four years off those short to medium term projects.

Sinclair adds she wasn’t surprised by the discussions at the public meeting.

“How can we make our roads safer for all road users is a concern for everyone,” she added. “That includes for people who walk, which is pretty much everybody.”

Currently, the city spends about $1.5 million dollars each year on these short to medium term transportation projects.

If the increase is approved, the budget for active transportation will increase to just over $1.8 million each year.