Construction has begun for the Lazo Greenway Multi-Use Path, set to run from Butchers Road to Sand Pines Drive and spanning approximately 2.5 kilometres in length. The project runs through both the Comox Valley Regional District’s Area B and the Town of Comox and is set to be completed in the spring of 2025.
As part of the project, the CVRD will also build designated parking spaces and bathrooms along Old Lazo Road — a frequent recreation area that is part of the Lazo Marsh-North East Comox Wildlife Management Area.
The construction of the path is thanks to a partnership between the Town of Comox, the federal government and the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Sixty per cent of funding for the path comes from the federal Active Transportation Fund. The remaining funding is split between the CVRD and the Town of Comox and is based on the percentage of work completed in each jurisdiction, according to CVRD parks manager Mark Harrison.
“Lazo Road generally has become a lot busier for road traffic,” Harrison said.
He added that the CVRD has heard concerns about safety in the area over the years as the traffic has increased, sparking discussions about how to make the Lazo Road corridor safer for pedestrians and cyclists. He said the increased density of housing along Butchers Road, as well as more families moving to the area, means there is a need for more active transportation paths.
The path will follow the route of the Comox Valley Sewer Conveyance Project — a multi-year construction project upgrading the pump stations and replacing the pipes that move raw sewage to the treatment plant on Brent Road.
Harrison said working on these projects at the same time means less construction disruption for residents. In a statement on its website from Aug. 2, 2024, the CVRD said the overlapping work will also help to reduce construction costs.
The big picture
On a broader scale, the project fits into the CVRD’s Active Transportation Plan, which includes projects along Royston Road and from Courtenay to Cumberland.
Active transportation refers to any self-propelled mode of transportation, such as cycling or walking. Active transportation infrastructure can include bike lanes, multi-use pathways or anything that helps people move from place to place safely without a vehicle. One example on Vancover Island is the recently completed ʔapsčiik t̓ašii path (pronounced ups-cheek ta-shee), the multi-use path that connects Ucluelet to Tofino.
Harrison said the planning for the Lazo greenway project was already underway before the CVRD introduced a strategy to implement its Active Transportation Plan, last summer. But the Lazo greenway project still fits into a broader plan for active transportation in the Comox Valley.
Read more: Two new active transportation paths planned to connect the Comox Valley
“I think the fact that the Active Transportation Plan was adopted by the board just shows that our community definitely sees it as a priority,” Harrision said.
He said residents of the Lazo area can find traffic updates on the Sewer Conveyance Project if they want to know how the construction may impact their travel. Visit https://engagecomoxvalley.ca/conveyanceproject and click on the “follow” button near the top right corner for updates on traffic and construction.
