Town of Creston Multi-Modal Transportation Plan

While every Town should aspire to having a paved path system, the goal of Creston’s Multi-Modal Transportation Plan is to identify the current state of transportation and transportation trends within Creston over the next 30 years.  One of the primary goals will be to promote active transportation (any form of human-powered transportation, including walking, cycling or rolling using a skateboard, in-line skates, wheelchairs, or other wheel-based forms of human-powered transportation) as a means of commuting to and from work, school, shopping etc.  The pedestrian facility improvements (sidewalks, multi-use paths & walkable shoulders) for our community will focus on missing links, pedestrian crossing and accessibility improvements.  Priority of these facilities will be on routes to school, streets with connections to recreational amenities including parks, community / recreation centers, trails, shopping and other facilities as well as streets and locations with transit facilities (e.g. bus stops).  The Multi-Modal plan will also look at options like a multi-use trail along Northwest Boulevard and a rail trail along the railroad tracks but these endeavors will require the cooperation of the BC Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure and Canadian Pacific Railway and may not be as easily accomplished as projects on or adjacent to Creston’s local roads.

The following response outlines the Town’s Engagement Process:

The Town of Creston hosted a citizen survey and a Do It Yourself (DIY) Mobility Mapping exercise (Round 1) on “Let’s Talk Creston” between September 20th and October 12^th, 2021.  The Round 1 results of this survey are available HERE.  In summary, 436 surveys were completed and 22 DIY mapping activity sheets were submitted.

Currently, the Town is reaching out to special interest groups that may have been missed during Round 1. Round 2 groups include; Creston District Society for Community Living; Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce; Creston Valley Cycling Club; Creston Valley Seniors Association; Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors (TAPS); Creston Valley Youth Network (CVYN); Kootenay Region Association for Community Living and Sustainable Kootenays. Round 2 groups will also include; BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI), BC Transit, School District #8, RCMP, Creston Fire and Rescue, CP Rail and BC Ambulance.

After all the comments are compiled from the first 2 rounds of engagement, a DRAFT report with recommendations will then be made available, here, on “Let’s Talk Creston”.  Expected in April 2022, this will initiate Round 3 engagement and allow the community, one last chance, to comment on the report recommendation and provide additional comments that may have been missed.

The contract for professional services to prepare Creston’s Multi-Modal Transportation Plan (MMTP) was publicly advertised on BC Bid for a 5 week period between March 11^th and April 16^th, 2021.

A total of 9 proposals were received and evaluated based on; qualifications and experience, understanding of the project scope, previous work on projects similar in nature, general quality of proposal and cost of services.

It was determined that the Proponent who best met the Town’s evaluation criteria was WATT Consulting Group. WATT was awarded the task of completing Creston MMTP in the amount of $73,080.

Creston’s cycling infrastructure is limited and the bike facilities that are available are generally not suitable for all ages and abilities. Even though the network is currently underdeveloped, the Town has strong policy direction in its 2017 Official Community Plan to develop and enhance its cycling infrastructure.

 The Multi Modal Transportation Plan will investigate four types of bike facilities, as follows:

 • Dedicated cycle lanes - these facilities would be on major roads (e.g., arterials, collectors) and intended for commuting from one end of town to the other. These roads provide the most direct route’s with the least gradient change;

• Enhanced shoulders - on major roads (such as Hwy 21) where lanes are not possible, and which are used primarily for travelling from community to community. It should be noted that Creston does not have jurisdiction over provincial highways like Hwy 3 (Canyon St / Northwest Blvd) and Hwy 21, but Creston will work with the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to include bike lanes and appropriate signage along these roads in any street re-design or improvements completed by the Ministry;

• Cycle lanes on secondary roads - intended more for recreational cycling and for connecting to public facilities such as the Creston & District Community Complex; and

• Shared streets - in residential areas characterized by wide streets (10.5m or greater), a less expensive alternative to a new sidewalk, that may be considered, is a “shared street”. On a “shared street,” parking is removed from one side of the street and replaced with a shared pedestrian/cycling lane.

Thank you so much for your comments. Comments like these are needed to provide community direction on Creston’s Multi-modal Transportation Plan. Thank you for taking the time to give us your feeedback.

Your comments have been heard. Comments like these are needed to provide community direction on Creston’s Multi-modal Transportation Plan. Thank you!

Thank you for your comments. Your first question ties very nicely to active transportation and these types of comments are needed to provide community direction on Creston’s Multi-modal Transportation Plan. Q1 will also be forwarded to Creston's Planning Department to ensure that future subdivision layout are considered with this in mind.  

Having a sidewalk along Northwest Boulevard, between the Ramada and the Creston Mall, has long been a priority for Town Council but has been viewed as cost prohibitive with the added complexity of being adjacent to a provincial highway, not under the control of the Town.  Hopefully, Creston’s Multi-modal Transportation Plan will provide our community with the political justification necessary to lobby for improved pedestrian access along this busy corridor.  Thank you!

Thank you for your comment.  The illuminated crosswalks along Canyon Street (Hwy 3) at DQ and Pauls Superette were installed by Province of BC, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.  Your concerns will be forwarded to the Province.  Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Comments like these are needed to provide community direction on Creston’s Multi-modal Transportation Plan. Thank you!

Your comments have been heard.  10th Avenue North, between Regina and Cavell Streets, is one area of the Town that we are looking to Creston’s Multi-modal Transportation Plan to provide recommendations that benefit the entire community. Thank you!