There's nothing like riding your bike along a protected bike lane when all of a sudden it stops.
But for Port Coquitlam residents — who are patient — plans are in the works to build the second half of the award-winning Prairie Avenue multi-use path in 2024/25.
And with the announcement this week of $840,000 from the federal government to help pay for the 1.5 km project, it's closer to becoming a reality.
The funding came from the federal Active Transportation Fund to cover 60 per cent of the total estimated multi-use path cost of $1.4 million, according to Josh Frederick, director of public works and engineering.
Frederick said the multi-use path is planned for construction in 2024/25, to coordinate with with the second phase of road improvements on Prairie Avenue from west of Shaughnessy Street to Coast Meridian Road.
The federal funding was greeted with pleasure by both Mayor Brad West and Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam MP Ron McKinnon.
West welcomed the news, and thanked the government.
"This is an important project that provides more active transportation options for users of all ages and abilities to travel to key destination points in Port Coquitlam," he stated.
Meanwhile, the announcement comes as the first half of the Prairie Avenue multi-use path from from Coast Meridian to Burns roads won an award for infrastructure improvements from Hub Cycling.
The three-metre wide route runs for two kilometres, and has pavement markings and lighting.
Find out more about the city's plans for Prairie Avenue on its website.
Meanwhile, PoCo has yet to decide what it plans to do with $9.4 million from the B.C. government from its $5.7 billion 2022 operating surplus.
West said the city will be looking at how to use the money from the province's Growing Communities Fund to support its plans for capital infrastructure improvements.
