Discussion

In comparison to other work done in British Columbia by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, pursuing upgrades on the Sea to Sky Highway for cycling safety should be a concern moving forward; its low-cost and potential to reduce accidents in the region should not be overlooked. As there are approximately 1,400 injuries and 10 fatalities involving road cyclists every year in the province (Grossman, 2011), a reduction of just one fatality on the Sea to Sky Highway at any point in the future would likely offset the cost to British Columbians of the suggested upgrades.

Improvements in safety will help contribute to an increase in use of bicycles in the region. The potential rise of physical activity levels will assist in the reduction of avoidable health care spending on sedentary-related illness, currently consuming an estimated 16% of health expenditures in Canada (Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2010). Ensuring cyclist safety through these upgrades will further solidify the Sea to Sky Highway’s status as a world-renown cycling destination for tourists. Emphasis must be placed on the low-cost of the proposed mitigation methods and the need to pursue improvements of cycling safety; the table below compares such costs to past projects in the province.

Projects	Total Cost
Cariboo District (2011): pavement resurfacing (24.47 km)	$3,221,952.61 contract
Highway 3A (2011): rumble strip and reflectors	$161,166.00 contract
Highway 31 (2011): replacement of two stacked rock walls with concrete walls	$960,000.00 contract
Mission area - Side roads (2011): pavement repair and asphalt resurfacing	$446,981.00 contract
Highway 1 (2012): 3m high, 270m long noise barrier	$355,380.00 contract
Sea to Sky Highway proposed upgrades: signage, sweeping, bike-activated signals, drainage replacement	Estimated cost: ~$116,000

The broken-down costs to improve cycling safety along the Sea to Sky Highway can be seen below. As noted, these provide a low-cost alternative to widening the shoulders, while increased signage will further instill in motor vehicle drivers the “Share the Road” ideal. Debris and drainage was noted to cause the most hazardous cycling environment; the simple suggested measures could reduce this danger greatly. Lastly, as Porteau Cove is the most dangerous section of the route, cyclist-activated warning signs have been suggested. These electronic signs will ensure that at all times when there is a cyclist present, motorists will be aware and able to maintain a proper speed and distance to ensure a safe environment for both road users.

Recommended Mitigation Upgrades	Cost	Details
Increased Signage	$15,000	30 bike signs at an average spacing of less than 8 kilometers
Altered notification on electronic message boards	$0	When road conditions are acceptable, display share the road notifications
Increased Sweeping	$9,600	Sweep Highway an additional four times per annum - once per month (April - July)
Drainage Improvements	$46,500	Fifty of the most dangerous drain replaced with bicycle safe grates and perimeter re-painted once per annum
Cyclist-Activated Signals	$45,000	Two cyclist-activated signals using loop, detectors, installed at each end of Porteau Cove
	Total Cost: $116,100

 

Continue to Conclusion