Positive support for the proposed Highway 16 inter-community transit options was the key highlight from a recent engagement campaign undertaken by BC Transit and its partners.
BC Transit has now summarized the information from the engagement process, including detailed feedback that will be used to help shape final service options, in the Highway 16 Engagement Report. The report provides information gathered from an engagement series along the Highway 16 corridor hosted by BC Transit in partnership with First Nations and local community partners.
The engagement process in August and September included:
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20 public engagement events in communities along Highway 16;
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5 meeting requests;
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An online survey available for four weeks;
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1,033 paper and online surveys submitted;
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And 720 people participating at events.
Participants commented positively about the overall plan, including the fare structure, proposed routes, and locations of bus stops. Areas of feedback that are being considered for integration into final implementation planning include the route frequency, requested days of service and increasing the time spent at the regional stops. Feedback was also provided on trip schedules and design that will be used to inform revised service options.
The implementation of inter-community bus services on Highway 16, stretching from Prince George to Prince Rupert, is part of the Province’s $5 million Highway 16 Transportation Action Plan for new and expanded transportation services along the corridor. The proposed BC Transit services focus on offering same-day return travel between smaller communities and their closest larger centre.
As part of the action plan, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) committed $1 million for the installation of advanced safety features, including enhanced bus stop shelters and CCTV cameras. This additional technology will help ensure the safety of passengers along the corridor.
BC Transit has provided the engagement summary and the most-up-to-date version of the proposed routing and stop location summary to area First Nations and local governments. Revised service options based on engagement results are now being developed and will be shared with local decision makers for their consideration and approval to implement. Based on local approval, an implementation plan will then be developed and finalized. More information will be available later this year.
The full report, including the updated proposed stops, is available on bctransit.com/highway16.
Media Contact:
Jonathon Dyck, BC Transit, Communications Manager
media@bctransit.com 250.995.5720
