Lower Lynn
Interchanges Evaluation

2011 - 2013

Project Summary:

The Lower Lynn Interchanges Evaluation process sought to address problems of safety and congestion being experienced on the Trans-Canada Highway and local arterial roads in the Lower Lynn area near the Dollarton/Main and Mount Seymour Parkway/Fern Street interchanges, north of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge. The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) and the District of North Vancouver (DNV) undertook a joint multi-level engagement process to seek consensus on a shared problem definition and improvement concept. The process included:

• Oversight by a Senior Advisory Group comprising elected officials and representatives from MOTI, TransLink, Port Metro Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, City of North Vancouver, and possibly the Squamish Nation.

• The creation by DNV of a Lower Lynn Interchanges Community Working Group, with representation from various community groups within the DNV and observers from the City of North Vancouver and other agencies, to provide community-based consultation

• Technical oversight from a Technical Working Committee chaired by MOTI.

• Public access via the web.

Activities: Working with Urban Systems Ltd., MOTI and DNV, Jack Stuempel and Associates prepared and implemented a public engagement and stakeholder relations program designed to foster support for the evaluation process and its eventual conclusions, by ensuring stakeholders and the public were provided with current and accurate information, and had an opportunity to provide meaningful input through ongoing dialogue. The program included:

• Strategy development 

• Facilitation of community representative meetings

• Preparation of web-based and other public information materials

• Issues management 

• Plans for broader public engagement to be undertaken in the future

Results: The dialogue and opportunity to resolve long-standing transportation issues encouraged participants to go beyond previously-entrenched positions to provide thoughtful and innovative input that focusesdon shared problems and mutual-win solutions.