Background

Following a road safety review of the Princess Street corridor, the City is implementing improvements to enhance safety for people walking and driving. The review, conducted by a transportation safety consultant, identified opportunities to reduce potential risks and support safer travel along this section of the street.

^{Figure 1: Existing curb-to-curb width on Princess Street is 10.0m. Pedestrians currently use the driveway of 739 Princess Street (shown on the right of the photo), as there is no sidewalk on the north side of Princess Street at this location.}  

What’s Happening

Based on the road safety review, the recommended section for individuals to cross Princess Street is at the Save-On-Foods entrance to Royal City Centre. To improve safety in this area, and to support Council’s 2023-2026 Strategic Priority of Safe Movement of People, the City will be making improvements to Princess Street. Work will include:

Improved pedestrian visibility by:

• Installing a new and raised painted crosswalk, between the Save-On-Foods entrance and 739 Princess Street (see Figure 2);
• Adding ‘No Stopping Anytime’ signage to prevent vehicles from stopping too close to crosswalks;
• Updating street lights to current standards; and
• Adding warning signage at the parkade exits to remind drivers that pedestrians may be crossing.

Improved safety by:

• Creating  a new portion of sidewalk on the north side of Princess Street next to 739 Princess Street (see Figure 2);
• Reducing vehicle speeds with more consistent spacing between speed humps along the street; 
• Adding a missing 30km/h sign; and
• Adding a commercial loading zone on the south side of Princess Street near Sixth Street and away from crosswalks.

^{Figure 2: Planned curb-to-curb width at the new raised crosswalk on Princess Street, between the Save-On-Foods and 739 Princess Street is 7.0m. A portion of the existing street space will be allocated to the new portion of sidewalk.}

The City informed and worked with adjacent properties to secure agreements to proceed with this project. Based on feedback received from the businesses, the City is creating a commercial loading zone on the south side of Princess Street near Sixth Street. This loading zone will improve pedestrian safety by moving truck staging away from crosswalks, ensuring pedestrians are visible to drivers when crossing Princess Street.

The City has also ensured that necessary work for the 616 Sixth Street project was completed before making the traffic safety improvements to Princess Street. By coordinating the two projects, we minimize disruptions.

Thanks to generous support from ICBC and Fraser Health, the City will begin construction of these measures in Spring 2026.

FAQ

Is the City adding a flashing pedestrian light for people to cross Princess Street?

The raised crosswalk and new portion of sidewalk will provide more safety for people crossing Princess Street at this location while the City explores the feasibility of a flashing light.

Why is the City changing the No Parking areas to No Stopping areas?

The No Parking areas on Princess Street are not being respected, resulting in many calls to Bylaw and Police enforcement. The City is changing Princess Street to a No Stopping area to ensure people crossing Princess Street can be seen by drivers.

What is the City doing about large trucks stopping on Princess Street outside Royal City Centre?

The City and Royal City Centre have been working together to improve traffic safety on Princess Street. To support Royal City Centre business operations, the City is creating a Commercial Loading Zone on the south side of Princess Street near Sixth Street. This loading zone will support large trucks waiting until the delivery bay is available. This loading zone is located away from the pedestrian crosswalks to ensure the large trucks do not block driver visibility of people crossing Princess Street. The City and Police continue to enforce By-Law and moving violations along Princess Street.

Construction Update

Construction is anticipated to begin in Spring 2026 and continue through Summer 2026. For the most up to date information on Construction and Traffic impacts, please visit the Roadworks and Construction page.

Contact

If you have any immediate questions or concerns, please contact Lacey Hirtle, Transportation Engineer, at