By Grant Warkentin
Featured image: Artistic rendering of what the new, separated bike lane along Hilchey will look like once completed. From City of Campbell River
The city starts work next week on Hilchey Road to remove the painted bike lanes and reconfigure traffic flow, in response to a safety review completed this spring.
A statement from the city says there will be periodic partial road closures on Hilchey Road from Monday, August 24, to Thursday, August 27. Roadwork will take place from 7 am to 6 pm.
“The City of Campbell River has engaged Western Hydroblasting Inc. to remove road markings, including bike-lane markings, along Hilchey Road and the intersection at Parkway Drive and Alder Street South,” the statement says. “Temporary line markings will be in place until new centre lines and road markings can be reinstalled.”
The work is the first phase of the larger Hilchey Corridor Bike Lane Improvements project, which will create a new bike lane along the road that’s separated from vehicle traffic, and from on-street parking. Hilchey Road will temporarily be without bike lanes after current markings are removed, and while the new lane is under construction; it’s expected to be finished later this fall.
Once it’s finished, on-street parking against the curb will be restored to how it worked prior to 2022.
Vehicle lanes will also be widened, and a new flashing light will be added to the crosswalk at Hilchey Road and Fern Drive.
Single-lane, alternating traffic will be in effect during construction. Drivers should expect delays, and follow all traffic controls in place.
Background
In 2022, parking-protected bike lanes were added to Hilchey Road as part of a watermain upgrade. Since then, residents have expressed concerns about safety, traffic patterns, near-misses with pedestrians and cyclists, and parking. In response, council requested a full safety review in early 2026.
Following a review by McElhanney Ltd., council approved the creation of the new neighbourhood bikeway, along with a separated, two-way bike lane on Hilchey Road (see featured image for an illustration of what it might look like once completed).
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