Vancouver WA Residents Sound Off on McGillivray Boulevard Remodel

If you want to spark an immediate debate at a Clark County dinner table, skip national politics and just ask about local road design. Vancouver’s ongoing infrastructure updates have officially set off a fresh round of suburban friction, and this time, McGillivray Boulevard is directly in the crosshairs.

We surveyed local residents in our free email newsletter to see how the community feels about the proposed changes to McGillivray Boulevard. The verdict? Outrage is outpacing optimism, but the vision for a less car-centric city still has its passionate defenders.

What is the McGillivray Boulevard Remodel?

The City of Vancouver just greenlit a $5.48 million contract to give a three-mile stretch (from Southeast Chkalov Drive to 164th Avenue) a major operational makeover.

Translation? The classic four-lane setup is getting chopped down to a single travel lane each way.

Part of Vancouver’s broader “Complete Streets” effort, the project aims to transform the corridor into a multi-modal paradise with a single drive lane, a dedicated parking strip, a 10-foot protected bike/pedestrian zone, and a generous buffer. Expect construction crews to set up shop around late September or early October, with work dragging through standard Pacific Northwest weather over six to eight months.

Where Do Vancouver, WA Residents Stand?

The survey breakdown shows a clear divide across East Vancouver commuters and property owners:

• 48.3% opposed the plan, stating the redesign is unnecessary or actively detrimental.
  
• 31.4% supported the project, favoring bike infrastructure and speed reduction.
  
• 20.3% selected “Just here for results,” watching the local debate unfold.

Why Are Opponents Fuming? “Don’t Turn Us Into Portland”

For the majority of respondents, the frustration stems from past experiences with city traffic modifications…specifically recent lane reductions on SE 34th Street and Fourth Plain Boulevard.

Local residents voiced significant concerns over safety, emergency access, and government spending:

• The Shadow of SE 34th Street: Multiple residents pointed to previous road diets as proof that lane reductions backfire. One neighbor noted: “I live off 34th and travel it daily, what a massive screw up. I would hate to see McG like 34th… Expansion is west to east and they were complete imbeciles to shrink 34th like they did.” Another added: “This is an awful plan, even worse than the nightmare the city created redoing Fourth Plain.”
  
• Spillover Traffic & Gridlock: Drivers worry that reducing vehicular lanes will turn quiet residential corridors into bottlenecks during rush hour or school bus routes. A local resident pointed out: “McGillivray is already getting congested, drivers are avoiding Mill Plain because of heavy traffic so they are using McGillivray. One lane is a horrible idea.”
  
• Demographics vs. Cycling: Longtime community members argue that the corridor serves aging residents who rely on cars for basic errands. As one respondent put it: “There aren’t enough bike riders on this stretch now to support this. But there are plenty of older drivers who live along the street whose commute to groceries and doctors will be stressed… We cherish our calm streets, now we’ll be Portland all smashed in together.”
  
• Cost vs. Priorities: Taxpayers expressed frustration over municipal spending allocations: “5 Million$ that means they already spent 5 million cluttering up 34th, and accomplishing nothing… We sure don’t need you changing the streets for millions of dollars.”

The Pro-Redesign Camp? Speeding Solutions and Multi-Modal Transit

Despite the vocal backlash, nearly a third of respondents strongly favor re-engineering McGillivray Boulevard to prioritize safety over vehicular speed.

Proponents argue that the redesign addresses long-standing safety hazards along the corridor:

• Taming Speeders: Neighbors note that current street design encourages drag-racing behaviors. One resident supported the changes, noting: “The road will be safer for people living in the neighborhood; individuals drive too fast on McGillivray.”
  
• Modern Urban Infrastructure: Forward-looking urban planning advocates view the project as essential progress: “I think this is a great idea… hopefully we can steer away from such a car-centric world as Vancouver becomes more accessible to other modes of transportation!”

The debate over McGillivray Boulevard reflects a classic growing city’s identity struggle: balancing rapid urban population growth with suburban convenience. As of now, the plan is pressing ahead as the City just awarded a $5,482,629 contract to Jeffries Construction, LLC to start development this fall.