With more than 250 thousand people walking and biking the Abbott Street active transportation corridor last year, the City is exploring the use of ‘quick-build’ infrastructure to extend the route between Rose Avenue and Boyce-Gyro Beach Park. Residents and the public are invited to comment on the proposed design at getinvolved.kelowna.ca.

“Quick-build strategies combine interim materials on existing street space, with limited new construction, to deliver projects sooner and at a lower cost than originally scheduled in our 10-Year Capital Plan,” said Chad Williams, Senior Transportation Planning Engineer. “Extending the Abbott ATC will link the Downtown and Pandosy areas, improving access to parks, beaches and amenities along the way.”

Proposed improvements include a two-way protected bicycling lane, with a multi-use path in sections that have space constraints. Results of the pilot will inform design of future improvements both along Abbott Street and other projects across the city.

Abbott Street is one of Kelowna’s busiest bicycling and pedestrian routes, and 2020 saw an increase in use of more than 50 per cent compared to the previous year. Quick-build infrastructure strategies have become popular with cities in North America, and the City recognizes the importance of accelerating improvements to create safe and comfortable biking facilities for people of all ages and abilities.

Construction is anticipated to start in 2022, pending budget approval. An online feedback survey is open from May 19 to June 6, 2021. Public input will help inform the final project design and other potential quick-build active transportation projects in Kelowna. Project information and the survey are available online at getinvolved.kelowa.ca