This just out from the folks at city hall
Burrard Bridge protected cycling and pedestrian pathways to open on July
13
Protected pathways for cyclists and pedestrians are scheduled to be in
place on the Burrard Bridge starting Monday, July 13. This trial
addresses three key issues: safety, sustainability and affordability,
and involves the following changes:
* the west curb lane of the Burrard Bridge towards Kitsilano will
become a bicycle lane
* the west sidewalk on the English Bay side of the bridge will be
for pedestrians only
* the east sidewalk becomes an exclusive bicycle path into
downtown
Other changes will include protective barriers to separate the bike
lanes from vehicles; traffic signal modifications; and measures to
provide priority access for buses. The bridge will maintain three lanes
northbound into downtown.
Preparations will commence on Monday, July 6. Previously scheduled
paving on Pacific is being incorporated into the reconfiguration of the
bridge entry/exit points. Repaving of Pacific Street will include new
lane markings, signals, signs and protective barriers to allow a cycling
lane between Thurlow and Hornby Streets.
Work will continue until the configuration is complete early in the
morning of July 13 (weather dependent).
A monitoring program will be in place during the trial to assess the
impact of the lane changes and will collect data on pedestrian, bicycle
and vehicle volumes, and travel times. Staff will report back to Council
in 3 months.
A communications program will provide public information on the changes
on the bridge and alternative vehicle routes. The program will feature
print and radio advertising, updated website information and the use of
social media.
21 responses so far ↓
1 Darcy McGee // Jun 23, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Communications isn’t going to do a thing to reduce driver annoyance, I think. Drivers are an impatient lot.
I saw city staff on the bridge a couple of days ago who appeared to be counting…something. I’m not sure what, and didn’t stop to ask.
I hope they stick to their guns on this one. Does the “report back to council in three months” imply that the trial will stay in place for three months? The nice thing about that is it takes us into the fall, with the return to more “normal” traffic patterns which tend to shift a bit in the summertime due to vacations, tourists, etc.
I know what I’m doing on July 13th…anybody up for a group ride?
2 Richard // Jun 23, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Before responding, I encourage people to take the time to learn more about the issues and the history so we can have an informed debate. The city has some good information at:
http://vancouver.ca/projects/burrard/index.htm
The 16 year history:
http://vancouver.ca/projects/burrard/history.htm
Some FAQ’s
http://vancouver.ca/projects/burrard/faq.htm
3 Frothingham // Jun 23, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Well this will be one way to keep motorists from zooming across at >8okm… what a bunch of asshat YVR drivers have become. … no signaling, swerving & weaving, cutting-off lanes etc etc.. all signs of FRUSTRATION. But they can’t get it into their thick skulls that auto movement about the city is going to get more and more difficult. Get used to it. Relax and learn to enjoy your longer and longer commutes. .. c’est la vie
4 Darcy McGee // Jun 23, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Well Richard, I’m apparently in one of those videos….but one question I asked doesn’t get addressed. There’s no firm commitment to the minimum length of the trial that I can see.
Maybe I’m not seeing it?
5 Richard // Jun 23, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Darcy
From what I understand, there will be a report to council 3 months after the trial has started. This will be after the peak traffic period in September. I guess then they will decision on how long the trial will last.
6 A. G. Tsakumis // Jun 23, 2009 at 11:14 pm
And the report will be skewed. Where are all you bike heroes now?
July, when traffic is easier and most have departed for sunnier climes; limited engagement, which will do nothing for the environment (where are your balls, Mr. Mayor??? ) I thought you were going to go “all the way” towards a ‘Cycle City”…his (campaign) words, not mine.
Two out of three months will be during the summer when there is less traffic and the report comes out prior to any rainy season to skew the results in their favour.
If this is such a hot idea, why all the godamned propaganda effort?
And they also plan social media efforts. Right, what do most cycling-fascists have to do?? Cycle and sit around telling the world how to live less safe lives. They’ll storm the internet and there you will find the “overwhelming support” that Gregor will tout.
Provided Kevin has written that, Maria has run it through a spell check and Mike has sent it off to the Solomons of the world for approval.
Step right up folks, all Groegor’s done is locate an old crate of Sam’s snake oil and change the label.
7 Darcy McGee // Jun 24, 2009 at 6:38 am
Traffic levels during the summer are only marginally lower than the winter. There’s still gridlock.
The intention of the trial is to encourage cycling and reduce cyclist/pedestrian conflicts. These will be higher in the summer, when fairweather cyclists are out. It’s the natural time to try this.
Only July 13th, Alex, the “cycling fascists” will make sure the bridge is full.
Meanwhile the Vancouver Province (as great a bastion of journalism as any that I’ve ever read) starts its article on the topic thusly:
> The battle over the Burrard Bridge
> begins July 13.
So for those who don’t believe this is a war, there you have it…and it wasn’t declared by me, or us. It was declared by a “respected” publication. (I managed to keep a straight face while I wrote that.)
8 Chris Keam // Jun 24, 2009 at 8:41 am
My initial impressions from the media briefing (as a cyclist and Friend of the Burrard Bridge) are here if anyone is interested:
http://tinyurl.com/mx76r8
I didn’t notice this piece by Peter Busby on May 13 in the Vanc. Sun. I think it’s still timely.
http://tinyurl.com/nxepy7
9 urb anwriter // Jun 24, 2009 at 11:54 am
Sounds like you have your knickers in a knot AGT.
Relax. Take a deep breath. And then explain, in words of no more than five syllables each, just what your problem actually is.
I suspect, AGT, that you lay blame on “cycling fascists” that you should rightly lay at the feet of fear-mongering journalists, automotive journalists, automobile advertisers, and an array of others.
Perhaps your language will offend some; not me, I consider the source. You, and your language, are actually no different than the more evangelical ‘Critical Mass’ crowd (and their hangers-on) in your posturing, over-heated rhetoric, and infantile argumentation.
Perhaps you’d like to go for a bicycle ride, we could converse more fully, though I suspect that neither of us will offer an argument that will actually change the others view. Or just take a pill.
10 Jot // Jun 24, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I keep reading complaints from drivers that they only see 10 or 15 people biking across the bridge when they drive over. Well most people I see driving into downtown only have one occupant, 10 to 15 drivers in cars would fill one entire lane. Its bizarre what is now considered ‘normal’ is one person traveling in a 2+ ton mass of steel, glass and rubber taking up 8 feet of space to move a 170 pound person.
11 MB // Jun 24, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Good luck to them. If the lane becomes permanent, then I’ll feel comfortable that urban bike infrastructure has turned a corner. I think I’ll go out and buy a bike again. It’s been 20 years.
12 Darcy McGee // Jun 24, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I hope the lane becomes permanent. Read some comments from someone new to the world of full time cycling over here:
http://www.beyondrobson.com/city/2009/06/20_notes_on_365_days_on_2_wheels/index.php
his notes about bridges are brief, but interesting.
I personally have a tough relationship with Critical Mass. I admire the spirit, but not the method all the time. Once on a motorcyle when confronted by a traffic jam I took my lane (correct side of the road, my lane) and was confronted by 6 cyclists right towards me…in the wrong lane, going to the wrong way. They pointed out the cops, at which point I suggested they get ticketed (a car would have been.) I continued on my 748cc powered way.
Critical Mass has a noble goal, but they break too many traffic laws while doing it for me to be comfortable. Alex makes me want to start riding with them, as does Mr. gmgw, as does every close call I’ve ever had with a car.
13 Richard // Jun 24, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Alex
Here is some actually research on other such reallocations and road closures that is well worth a read:
http://www2.cege.ucl.ac.uk/cts/tsu/disapp.pdf
14 Darcy McGee // Jun 24, 2009 at 9:11 pm
Richard, that’s a wonderful link. I hope Alex and others arguing for the “pro-car” view read it…completely.
15 Frothingham // Jun 24, 2009 at 10:33 pm
“Here is some actually research on other such reallocations and road closures that is well worth a read:”
I hope that there will be similar well-researched and well written reports coming from City Hall or others with respect to the new transit patterns on the Burrard bridge.
16 A. G. Tsakumis // Jun 24, 2009 at 11:39 pm
I am not arguing for pro-car or anti-bike.
I am arguing for sanity not horse shit.
The closing of the lane will produce problems. I am unmoved by the link, as it has nothing to do with the real issue.
This is all about forcing people into a position that is unsafe.
The surrounding areas will suffer.
But the staff report will be full of lies.
17 Richard // Jun 25, 2009 at 12:35 am
Alex
What do you mean by “This is all about forcing people into a position that is unsafe.”?
Right now the bridge is not safe for anyone really. The trial will make it safer for cyclists, peds and motorists.
You will notice that they have removed on of the right turn lanes from Pacific onto Burrard where the traffic on the outside lane was blocking the visibility of the traffic on the inner lane. That area is pretty much constantly littered with all the car parts from the collisions that keep happening there.
18 Darcy McGee // Jun 25, 2009 at 4:58 am
> The closing of the lane will produce problems. I am unmoved by the link, as it
> has nothing to do with the real issue.
There is NO way that you could have read that document and come to that conclusion, unless you believe that your personal knowledge is greater than those that write the document.
Richard’s comments about safety are bang on.
19 Darcy McGee // Jun 25, 2009 at 5:09 am
Oh…I suppose another way to come to Alex’s conclusion would be to remain firm in your belief that North American car drivers are actually THAT much more dedicated to remaining in their cars than their European equivalent. Since the evidence in the article is European in origin, one /could/ believe that it would never apply to North America.
I have more faith (misguided though it may be) in the people I share this city with. Some of them, at least…
20 rf // Jun 25, 2009 at 9:31 am
Why don’t we scrap the bike lane and turn the lane into a HEAT shelter?
21 MB // Jun 25, 2009 at 10:50 am
Richard, thanks for that link. The article dovetails with Jeff Kenworthy’s work on sustainable cities.
The Conclusion section contains this sentence:
“When pedestrianisation schemes or wider
pavements or cycle lanes or bus (and other priority vehicle) lanes or road closures are introduced, pre-scheme predictions of what will happen are usually excessively pessimistic.”
Sound familiar?
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