This project will study the feasibility of building a Multi-Use Pathway (MUP) along North Parallel Road to provide people walking and cycling with a safe route between Whatcom Road and destinations to the east, including the Semá:th First Nation. This feasibility study and concept design will inform decisions about the detailed design phase and future construction.
North Parallel Road is an 80 km/h roadway running parallel to Highway 1, with vehicles typically traveling at 10 km/h over the speed limit. People walking and cycling along North Parallel Road have no safe infrastructure and must use the road’s shoulder demarcated from the vehicle travel lane by a painted white line. A variety of construction and industrial businesses front North Parallel Road, generating heavy truck traffic that often tracks debris onto the road shoulder. During darker months, pedestrians and cyclists are further at risk due to darker conditions and continued high-speed traffic with narrow shoulders and a lack of accessible active transportation infrastructure. This has resulted in multiple pedestrian-related incidents resulting in fatalities.
The Semá:th First Nation Land Use Plan identifies the pedestrian connection to Whatcom Road as a priority through coordination with the City of Abbotsford. North Parallel Road is heavily used by members of the Semá:th First Nation to reach essential amenities such as shopping and transit services near Whatcom Road. For all users, improving this section of North Parallel Road could safely link pedestrians and cyclists to a network of active transportation infrastructure throughout Abbotsford, beginning with the sidewalks and painted bicycle lanes at Whatcom Road and further links to East Abbotsford, the future Highway 11 Multi-Use Pathway, and beyond. Conducting this feasibility study and developing a concept design for a MUP along North Parallel Road will form the groundwork for future detailed design and construction to address these safety concerns, improve connectivity, and create equitable access for everyone.
