North 256 Street Industrial Lands Area Plan: Open House & survey
The City is looking for your input for the future of the North 256 Street Industrial Lands as part of a new Area Plan aimed at attracting new businesses, creating jobs, diversifying the property tax base, and supporting long-term economic growth.
Why does this matter for people on bikes?
256 Street used to be part of the cycling network. For three decades it was on the cycling map. It was a designated bike route when the first Bikeways Plan was approved in 1994, it was also on the map when the 2004 and 2014 Strategic Transportation Plans were approved. No improvements were ever made and we still have as good as no shoulders.
With the approval of the 2023 Transportation Plan, 256th Street is no longer part of the cycling network.
If a route is on a city map of designated bike routes, it becomes a priority for the city that improvements are made when the traffic gets too busy, with a lot of truck traffic, and the road becomes too dangerous.
As Abernethy gets extended, a multi-use path will be built alongside it. Abernethy Way is an important east-west route, but it needs to connect to safe cycling facilities along 256 Street to access the industrial park, to Webster’s Corner Elementary School, and also to other routes in east Maple Ridge. South of Dewdney, a lovely destination is the 256 St. Fish Hatchery.
The quality of the bike route on 256 Street had already been slowly deteriorating as traffic has been getting busier over the years. By not being part of the Maple Ridge bike network anymore, the needs and safety of people cycling along the route will not be given any consideration.
As such, it is very important that there will be safe connections north or south once you get to 256th along Abernethy, and that 256th should remain a designated bike route.
Please provide your feedback. Let’s get 256 Street back on the cycling map in the Transportation Plan so that we can look forward to some improvements!
Open House:
April 29 | 4:30–7 PM
Maple Ridge Library (Fraser Room)
Survey deadline: May 14.
For more information and survey see https://engage.mapleridge.ca/256AreaPlan
