Metro Vancouver Bike/Pedestrian Discussion
 

Okay I decided to create a new thread as I can't find the old one. If one of the mods wants to move some of the misc posts in other threads into here that would be great.

City of Vancouver has a page up for the proposed North Arm Trail Greenway that will run along 59th Ave. There are a few open houses coming up shortly.

http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/streets/...y/northarm.htm

Is the debate about closing a lane on the Burrard St Bridge going to be re-opened now with Roberston and Vision running the show?

it looks like the debate will be whether it should be one lane or two.....

Wasn't there a study on somehow expanding the sides of the bridge to accommodate more bike traffic instead of the retarded idea to close existing car traffic lanes?

It was going to cost more than $60 million. Many people who consider themselves fiscal conservatives were supporting this concept, anyway. I can't figure it out.

I think it will come down to a debate between the fifth vehicle lane being northbound-only or switchable. I think it will be northbound-only because I can't see how they'd reconfigure the north end of the bridge, and because it's cheaper, and because it doesn't really need to be switchable.

I think the calls for removing two lanes are a little bit off the deep end. I assume the Burrard bridge has 10-foot lanes. Five feet is enough for a bike lane. They really need to fix the north end northbound Burrard Bridge-Hornby bike connection. These cycling advocates should be pointing out these little gaps in the system that non-cyclists don't know about.

I personally don't think closing one lane is enough enough. Essentially, you are only adding 1/3 capacity to each side of the bridge (for pedestrians and cyclists). It's good, but it's not good enough, and I thought the sidewalk expansion was a much better idea.

Burrard Bridge gets pretty busy during rush hour... and I know 'cuz I worked on Burrard St. before. I can imagine the back log of traffic once that lane gets closed.

The $~60Million pricetag was due to years of delays, but even then most of that cost wasn't really the expanded sidewalks as it was bringing the bridge up to date, I beleive we are looking at just north of $30Million without any sidewalk expansion.

I think Vision's Burrard Bridge bike lane solution (closing one lane, redistributing the car lanes and creating 1.5m bike lanes on each side) is fiscally prudent - it's a "least drastic means" approach to solving the problem.

You don't need a 3m wide bike lane (as was pushed by City staff) when it feeds to and from 1.5m bike lanes on Hornby Street and Burrard Street. If there's a perceived safety issue with proximity, bollards could be installed - as has been done along the Canada Line construction (or used to be along the Massey Tunnel) or was done to demarcate the temporary sidewalk under BC Place when the curb lane was closed (and eventually converted to a sidewalk and bike lane).
I think I recall City staff wanting the 3m bike lane width to accommodate roller bladers as an extension of the seawall path - but I think that roller bladers can share the sidewalk on the bridge.

Traffic will redistribute - look at what happened when Cambie Bridge was shut down to one lane each way during Canada Line construction - and Granville Bridge is closeby to provide a ready alternative.

With a separate pedestrian/bike bridge the price tag would be huge and you would have late night safety issues - I'd prefer not to force people to take a secluded path at night.

I could see the Pacific St. roadway shifted north by reducing the sidewalk on the north side on the block between Hornby and Burrard to create a bike lane on the south side on that one block to link up with Hornby. The problem with that is that the car lane shift on Pacific (westbound) would have to occur in the Hornby intersection unless a wedge of land is expropriated from Il Giardino.

Burnaby's turn to work on the Central Greenway Path

CONTRACT 2008-32, CENTRAL VALLEY GREENWAY - SECTION 1, PHASE II
Tenders are invited for the complete reconstruction of 405m of asphalt trail under skytrain between Boundary Road and Gilmore Avenue. The work includes construction of retaining wall and paving 400m of 6.5m wide asphalt pathway with a 2.0m wide strip of stamped/colored asphalt. Approximate quantities are 100 cu.m of common excavation, removal of 2,650 sq.m
of existing asphalt, supply of 250 tonnes of base gravels, 220 sq.m of 450mm thick topsoil with irrigation, 2,050 sq.m of 50mm thick asphalt, 880 sq.m of 50mm thick stamped/colored asphalt, 12 sq.m of Allan Block retaining wall and relocation of 11 existing pathway lights.

Excellent. Vancouver's sections (Clark to Commercial; Slocan to Boundary) appear to be making decent progress.

I'm just wondering what is going on with the route near the new Costco. Last time I biked through there, there was a massive mud patch, and you actually had to get of your bike, and walk through, it was impossible to ride.

that section has been made rideable in the past month or so, maybe even longer. the only real shite section left is the section between renfrew and boundary... also the section east of sperling doesnt exist yet.. but there is the burnaby lake trail for sunday riders :)

I noticed the other day that now you can't turn left from southbound Clark into eastbound Grandview Highway North. I think it has been changed to a right-in right-out configuration, forcing southeast-bound traffic to Broadway.

There's a cool looking pedestrian bridge being built at Sperling station over the tracks.

CVGW Construction
 

Recent photo of construction of Central Valley Greenway along Great Northern Way:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3235/...c17b01.jpg?v=0

Recent photo of construction at the intersection of CVG (First Ave) and Main (looks like they are making it easier for cyclists to cross Main):
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/...00a95b.jpg?v=0

Older photo of ped/cycling bridge:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/...4be099.jpg?v=0

all photos by myself

Nice, thanks.
That Sperling Kensington area will have the most number of roadway, SkyTrain, bikeway overpasses of any area in the region!

that overpass looked about the same when I passed saturday - the other side of it might be getting the concetration of work at the moment though

looks good

thanks for the update. anyone know how far along they are in the renfrew to boundary stretch? i may have to ride over to superstore and check it out on the way.

The path near Superstore is getting pretty close, I was there a week ago and most of the prep work had been done. Shouldn't be much longer.

Burnaby is progessing with yet another phase of the Central Valley Greenway

Tenders are invited for grade construction and electrical works for the Burnaby Central Valley Greenway sections 9 and 10 along the south side of Government Street from Brighton Avenue to Burnaby Mountain Urban Trail as a 3m wide x 730m long asphalt trail and along Cariboo Road from Government Street to Cariboo Place as a 4m x 140m asphalt trail. One piece of section 9 will require a cantilevered bridge to cross Silver Creek, while the remaining portions of section 10 will involve removal of existing vegetation and cutting/filling to accommodate the new trail.

the winston exit (near sperling/burnaby lake) has been closed yesterday and today and there are pieces of the overpass there - looks close to be put up - i imagine this week - a few white pieces were already up today

This is by the COV, I had never heard of it till just now, it's an RFQ for something called Oneday OneSchool. Sounds interesting.

The One Day One School program is aimed at teaching Grade three (3) through five (5) children the essentials of bicycle road and traffic safety. It includes a three (3) day course; one (1) day of classroom instruction and two (2) days of hands-on training.
REQUIREMENTS
The cycling education and skill training shall include education, skill training, and neighbourhood rides. The Education shall be a minimum of forty (40) minutes of cycling education presentation and take home materials. The cycling skill training should be a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) minutes of interactive cycling skill training. The neighbourhood ride shall be a minimum of thirty (30) minutes of cycling in the school neighbourhood streets. The three components do not need to be continuous.

For the cycling skill training, The student per staff ratio shall be no greater than ten (10) students per one (1) staff per session. Staff includes instructors, riding assistants, and supervising assistants. Instructors shall have a minimum of two (2) years of children cycling skill training experience and a CAN Bike 2 certification or equivalents. Riding assistants shall have a CAN Bike 1 certification or equivalent. Cycling experience is not required for supervising assistants. For the neighborhood ride, no more than six (6) children would be allowed to ride on the road in any one group, with a lead and tail adult rider at all times.
Example of expected program content:
Day 1 – Instruction will involve classroom presentations to separate Grade three (3), four (4) and five (5) classes of approximately thirty (30) students. These classes shall take place in the gym or common area, and do not require the students to bring their own bikes. Duration time per class is forty (40) minutes.
Day 2 – Instruction requires that students bring bikes and helmets to school, locked in a position accessible to the course area (the contractor is expected to provide at least 20% of the bikes for students without a bike that passes the internal safety check). This session shall run for eighty (80) minutes to include time for set-up and a cursory check of bike condition. The instruction shall include an interactive bike and helmet check that would include students to go through a course set up of safety stations. This shall all be contained within a traffic-free environment (playground or empty parking space).
Day 3 – Instruction includes children completing a small road circuit (up to 2km). Stations within the school grounds are used for additional instruction and to minimize the number of children riding on the road at one time.

COV has issued a RFP to examine the different options of the link from Georgia St To Pacific Blvd. This is one of the projects I'm most looking forward in the next few years.

http://vancouver.ca/fs/bid/bidopp/RF...8230-Final.pdf

2.1 Background
City Council approved Terms of Reference for the Northeast False Creek High Level Review, which calls for a pedestrian and cycling link between West Georgia Street and Pacific Boulevard. The proposed alignment of the link is along the east side of BC Place Stadium, allowing a pedestrian and cycling connection from the southeast intersection of Beatty Street and Georgia Street to Pacific Boulevard including the potential for an overpass to the south side of Pacific Boulevard. The limits of conceptual design are from the southeast corner of Beatty Street and Georgia Street to the south side of Pacific Boulevard

The general concept is, at a minimum, a major downtown pedestrian link with urban design considerations that create a strong connection between the Northeast False Creek Neighbourhood and the downtown core.
A service life for the proposed link of at least 75 years will be required.

2.3Purpose
The purpose of the study to be undertaken by the proponent is to prepare design options for three different types of connections (set out below), along with the respective costs of each option, that will inform a decision on a final design for this important public place at the eastern terminus of Georgia Street, Vancouver’s Ceremonial Boulevard.
a)The designs are to:
i) Provide an attractive and inviting experience that will draw pedestrians to and through the space, and
ii) Create a series of gracious public spaces through a sequence of levels that connect streets, building entrances and concourses.

The Consultant(s) will:
a)With advice from City staff, identify and document with maps existing and potential pedestrian, bike and barrier free networks in the area that connect the downtown to the Northeast False Creek neighbourhood;
b)Prepare urban design principles that should guide creation of conceptual designs for the pedestrian link. Including consideration of:
i) Adjacent existing and future land uses;
ii) Connectivity to adjacent buildings/properties, including BC Place, GM Place, pedestrian routes, public transit etc. Documented with maps indicating pedestrian desire lines;
iii) Event crowd dispersal, including way-finding;
iv) Sun exposure and weather protection;
v) Views;
vii) Public art and water features; and
viii) Seating opportunities;
c) Meet with the BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo), and/or their Consultants, to review the recently completed work on exiting requirements, the plans for upgrading the stadium and initial design for a tower on the Southeast corner of the stadium site;
d) Determine the grade change between Georgia Street and Pacific Boulevard and provide options for the footprints required to achieve varying connection types:
i) A pedestrian connection;
ii) A pedestrian and barrier free connection; and
iii) A pedestrian, barrier free and bicycle connect

http://www.translink.bc.ca/Plans/Pub...ay_Upgrade.asp

This link shows conceptual designs for an upgrade of the BC Parkway route (the one that follows the Expo Line from Trout Lake to Surrey).

My memory might be off, but wasnt there at one point an overpass over Boundary Rd along this route? I think they may have demolished it, which is funny, because they're proposing one again.

I don't see the overpass concept.

There is an overpass marked on the plans on the last map for the Vancouver sections, but it doesn't appear on the first map for the Burnaby sections - odd.

They should bring in an overpass at Rupert as well, doesn't make sense to ride down a hill to get stuck at the light then have to start straight back up a hill.
There was an overpass there from when the train was still in effect, It wasn't taken down until after a truck slammed into it about 15years ago.

Interesting... well on the Burnaby one, it says it's a "future" project so I guess we won't be seeing that soon. I agree with jlousa, I think there should be on at Rupert. The hills are crazy... I was biking once and I had to make a stop at Rupert... then bike again back up another hill.

not on a bike :) i can get from city hall to 1100 block of west pender and back in 20 minutes

Well some of us can't come to the office smelling of B.O and sporting giant sweat stains.

Its OK, today i drove from Maple Ridge to Metrotown in 20 minutes.

perhaps if you rode more often you wouldn't get all sweaty after 20 minutes.

lol in reality i dont care what you do. everyone has choices to make and they do what works best for them. i just find it funny when people complain how long it takes to drive places. in a car. in the city. the answer should be obvious.

Well when someone invents a bike that can carry 3 cameras, 3 tripods, cables, my laptop plus other equipment all at the same time comfortably i will ride it, until then i will need my car on work outings.

Brian Campbell did: http://daviswiki.org/Human_Powered_Housing_Project
:)

HAHAHAHAHAHA Wow, i wonder if that thing is safety tested?

Nothing wrong with bikes, but i just wish that they obeyed traffic laws. You can always tell the difference between an out of city cyclists and a Vancouver grown cyclists. The out of city one (usually from Europe) understands that bikes are considered vehicles and must obey all traffic signs and lane markings just like cars and trucks. The Vancouver grown cyclist is usually no different than the arrogant prick who drives his car like an asshole, for they run red lights, cut off pedestrians, perform unsafe maneuvers etc... Cyclists and cars can exist on the same downtown streets, but only if both sides are respectful.

And I thought that I was the only one noticing this!!!

^^ Add me as a +1.
As a driver:
I almost killed some guy when he went through a stop sign and directly in front of me (Ontario @ 16th, I was going down 16th). Thankfully, I did manage to see him (he was wearing all black and it was 6 in the morning) and swerve into the other lane. Then he just pretended like nothing happened and stood there for a while in front of me (kept looking forward and didn't move).

As a pedestrian:
Got hit this year walking on the Cambie bridge (on the far right side beside the railing) when some idiot was doing 70 and weaving through people and lost control.

As a bike rider:
People doing crazy speeds going over Burrard bridge and yell at you for not going 80km/h where the speed limit is like 30 (or whatever is posted on the bridge). Or 3 people riding side by side and oblivious to anybody wanting to pass them.

So I would have to agree, Vancouver bike riders are rude and arrogant for the most part. Police really need to crack down on them hard (especially for riding on sidewalks and not obeying stop signs/signals)

bicyclists think they are above everyone else

Same here, I'm just happy I don't work downtown, although the Commercial & 12 area is still bad for dumb bike riders. Heck the rare time I see a bike rider in Surrey, it is some crackhead towing a trailer of metal to a scrapper.

I wouldn't be so quick to pick on one group. I split my travel almost 33% each in driving, cycling and using transit. There are numerous jerks and assholes among all three groups, and they span all ages and backgrounds.

I'd love to see the police ticket far more for traffic infractions like dangerous driving, running lights, changing lanes/turning without signals (this one kills me), no helmets for cycling, etc. :whip:

i don't want to generalize - most are ok and "share the road" but so many here think they are better than people in cars - if they could drop the 'tude and obey the road rules it might be better

As a cyclist I've been run off the road a couple of times times, both by taxi drivers. I've had a few near misses too. I never run stop signs, red lights, obey traffic rules, etc. There was this one time on the Ontario bike route where I stopped for a stop sign and a guy flew past me screaming @$$hole because he almost rear ended me.

As a pedestrian, I've almost been run over by a cyclists.

Bus drivers can be really aggressive but as a bus rider I really appreciate the drivers who can get me places super fast so as a driver I tend to expect them to make crazy sudden moves and just let them in.

*shrugs*

taxi drivers are the worst - they don't single they cut you off they stop suddenly, block lanes etc

just the other day a mazada miata with Ontario plates was driving down nelson slams on its brakes and starts a left hand turn in the middle of the block - so annoying

you can say all you want about cyclists, but i have asshole drivers putting my life at risk for no good reason at least a half dozen times a day on a slow day. you get bitter pretty fast.

:previous: That is still no excuse for cyclists to blow through red lights and stop signs nearly (and sometime successfully) hitting pedestrians. Walking downtown i have almost been hit a few times by cyclists, and yes i was using the cross walk while the walking guy was lit! If a car driver blows through a red light, they are an arrogant prick, if a cyclist blows through a red light they are also an arrogant prick.

PS i really like Banzai Sushi near Brighouse (just went there tonight)

From the other thread:

Everybody is an asshole. We all need to learn this. The only way to get rid of the assholes is to think positively, and try not to be an asshole yourself. :) (not saying you are one, but on the road you may be just as bad as them when you react to them)

sure everyone is an asshole, but theres a difference between somebody honking or yelling something, and somebody passing you, and then merging into the bike lane and hitting their breaks.

now i admit that i dont follow every rule all of the time, i am very cautious. i always make sure it is safe to go, even when i have the right of way. i have never hit anyone. not another bike, a car, or a pedestrian, and i have been biking all of my life. thousands of km's this year alone.

some people who dont ride very often, or at all, forget that when on a bike you are very aware of your surroundings. much more so than when driving. the traffic system is designed for cars. cars must be highly regulated in cities because they pose so much risk to others around them. this means a lot of traffic signals and signs. because of how aware you are when cycling, many of these stops are unnecessary. now that doesnt mean that i blow stop signs at 40 kmh, but i will slow down to 10 or less and proceed when i know its safe. i often yeild to other traffic when it exists, but often it is safe to keep moving.

metro - see my post in the other thread.

i in no way advocate for cyclists riding in an unsafe manner... however there is a clear difference between unsafe, and against the law. you can ride unsafely within the law and you can also ride very safely outside of the law.

ROFLMAO.

So what you're saying is that it's ok for a driver to run a red light as long as he does it slowly and no cars and pedestrians are around. Unlawful yes, but it's very very safe.

^^ Well, you should be getting a ticket for performing a "rolling stop." Or get rid of that law for cars to and then I wouldn't care. However, double standards need not apply in a democratic country.

What most drivers ignore is that they are pretty much in constant volition of the law on many roads. Speed limits are legal restrictions on the maximum speed, not suggestions of the minimum speed. Speeding vehicles endanger motorists themselves as well as other motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

The carnage caused by automobiles is truly one of the worse tragedies in history. Automobile collisions reduce people's average life-span by a year!

Hundreds of thousands of people are killed and millions injured each and every year. To even suggest that irresponsible cycling is comparable to irresponsible driving is truly ridiculous.

The automobile is a deadly device and demands a much higher level of responsibly than walking or riding a bike.

Obviously you have never mountain biked, a lot of those people get pretty banged up and of course some have died.