Burnaby Updates

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by NetMapel

Oh yeah just thought I'd share here the Burnaby Transportation Plan Draft in case it hasn't be shared before. They have hosting a virtual open house this tuesday.

For me, I scanned through the walking, cycling and public transportation section. The "Big Move 2030" phase one cycling network is a decent start. I am most excited about their "30 years long-term plan" where they are expanding the cycling network by a lot.

What do you guys all think?

I posted it further up on this page and under Transit Discussions. One beef I have (other than most of the survey being multiple choice responses) is they want to have all micro transit (bikes, scooters, etc - both human powered and with a motor) along with pedestrians sharing a lot of the same pathways. There needs to be some separation.

[FarmerHaight]

I guess I'll repost my thoughts from the last page:

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

Trips made by car in Burnaby / New West declined from 78% in '94 to 70% in '17 (p. 24). The transportation plan has set goals to further reduce the SOV mode share, to 50%, 33%, and 25% by 2030, 2040, and 2050, respectively (p. 33)

The city also targets zero emissions from transportation by 2050 (p. 34).

Page 126 has an interesting map. If I'm reading it correctly, the long-term outlook for Kingsway is only two lanes plus transit. The only significant stretches of road wider than that are Marine Drive (four lane plus transit), Lougheed Hwy (four lanes), Garglardi Way (four lanes) and Hastings St. (four lanes plus transit). One assumption is full regional mobility pricing would be in effect. Does anyone know if a mobility pricing plan has been released anywhere?

As for the micro transit, can you pull a map that shows your areas of concern @Sheba? I would assume scooters along with bikes are supposed to use bike lanes when they are available, but if the plan emphasizes paths over proper bike lanes that would be a problem. I already use the streets parallel to the BC parkway when available because of the heavy pedestrian traffic.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

As for the micro transit, can you pull a map that shows your areas of concern @Sheba? I would assume scooters along with bikes are supposed to use bike lanes when they are available, but if the plan emphasizes paths over proper bike lanes that would be a problem. I already use the streets parallel to the BC parkway when available because of the heavy pedestrian traffic.

I can imagine how you feel about the BC Parkway - I used to ride along it pretty regularly and playing obstacle course with pedestrians was irritating. It was initially a bike path with separate walking path but most people would walk on the bike path instead, so they changed the signs and made it into a multi use pathway.

So that's what I was thinking about when I wrote (along with my multiple choice answers) about needing to separate different types of micro transit. Considering all the years that transit spending has gotten dropped, I can easily see the city cheaping out and mostly going with multi use pathways and stencils on streets (with no physical barrier to keep cars out) and calling it done.

[BaddieB]

Originally Posted by NetMapel

Oh yeah just thought I'd share here the Burnaby Transportation Plan Draft in case it hasn't be shared before. They have hosting a virtual open house this tuesday.

For me, I scanned through the walking, cycling and public transportation section. The "Big Move 2030" phase one cycling network is a decent start. I am most excited about their "30 years long-term plan" where they are expanding the cycling network by a lot.

What do you guys all think?

As a bicyclist, biking around Burnaby is greatly impeded by its topography. It's nice to go downhill but you can't get around far because of how hilly this city is. However given that electric bikes are becoming more and more common I think it's better to have bike infrastructure than not, and biking is great for short-distance commutes too.

[WBC]

From: Daily Hive
By: Kenneth Chan
Date: Oct 1 2021, 7:57 pm

An extensive public space upgrade is moving forward for the elevated guideway of SkyTrain Expo Line within Burnaby.

The municipal government is planning to spend $9.8 million to install new permanent special lighting that illuminates the underside of the elevated guideway between Patterson Station and Edmonds Station — a total distance of just under five km.
...

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skyt...deway-lighting

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by WBC

From: Daily Hive
By: Kenneth Chan
Date: Oct 1 2021, 7:57 pm

An extensive public space upgrade is moving forward for the elevated guideway of SkyTrain Expo Line within Burnaby.

The municipal government is planning to spend $9.8 million to install new permanent special lighting that illuminates the underside of the elevated guideway between Patterson Station and Edmonds Station — a total distance of just under five km.
...

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skyt...deway-lighting

"This accent lighting would be installed onto the columns that support the elevated guideway" - I suspect it will be strictly decorative instead of the practical lighting that's needed. They've only been talking about adding 'street lights' for over a dozen years now...

[SpongeG]

it says the first section will be Metrotown station to willingdon ave must be completed as per the contract by dec 22, 2021. Second section in the new year, last section by 2023. So we should see something soon.

I like the Coquitlam lighting along north road, makes it nice on rainy days, i imagine it will be similiar. Will be nice to see the Metrotown section etc become more animated.


eoslightmedia.com

[NetMapel]

Originally Posted by Sheba

I posted it further up on this page and under Transit Discussions. One beef I have (other than most of the survey being multiple choice responses) is they want to have all micro transit (bikes, scooters, etc - both human powered and with a motor) along with pedestrians sharing a lot of the same pathways. There needs to be some separation.

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

I guess I'll repost my thoughts from the last page:



As for the micro transit, can you pull a map that shows your areas of concern @Sheba? I would assume scooters along with bikes are supposed to use bike lanes when they are available, but if the plan emphasizes paths over proper bike lanes that would be a problem. I already use the streets parallel to the BC parkway when available because of the heavy pedestrian traffic.

Any of you guys joined in on the virtual open house? In my group, somebody made a comment about not liking roads get bike paths or whatever as it slows down traffic. I was a little sad to hear that comment from the public

[Klazu]

I like the idea about lighting too, but the columns in Metrotown don't look quite as nice as it is two small columns instead of one.

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by NetMapel

Any of you guys joined in on the virtual open house? In my group, somebody made a comment about not liking roads get bike paths or whatever as it slows down traffic. I was a little sad to hear that comment from the public

Was that yesterday? I completed the online survey but didn't mark the open house on my calendar.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by NetMapel

Any of you guys joined in on the virtual open house? In my group, somebody made a comment about not liking roads get bike paths or whatever as it slows down traffic. I was a little sad to hear that comment from the public

they just spent millions of dollars adding bike lanes to Lougheed between Gagliardi and Austin in the Lougheed area and some biker yesterday was riding on the highway, all the cars had to slow down so they could get around him.

is he too good to use the bike path? the car lanes have been significantly shrunk to give room for proper sidewalks and bike lanes in the area.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by WBC

From: Daily Hive
By: Kenneth Chan
Date: Oct 1 2021, 7:57 pm

An extensive public space upgrade is moving forward for the elevated guideway of SkyTrain Expo Line within Burnaby.

The municipal government is planning to spend $9.8 million to install new permanent special lighting that illuminates the underside of the elevated guideway between Patterson Station and Edmonds Station — a total distance of just under five km.
...

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skyt...deway-lighting

Congratulations Burnaby, for taking the initiative to beautify the elevated guideway, thus joining the avant garde city of Richmond, and then Coquitlam in doing the same.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by Vin

Congratulations Burnaby, for taking the initiative to beautify the elevated guideway, thus joining the avant garde city of Richmond, and then Coquitlam in doing the same.

It's the kind of thing you see in hundreds of cities. Not avant garde.

I would like to see the gravel and patchy grass replaced with a linear plaza. It would give a much more urban feel.

[SpongeG]

or use the space for a container park, metropolis might not want the competition but oh well


pinterest.com

[WBC]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

they just spent millions of dollars adding bike lanes to Lougheed between Gagliardi and Austin in the Lougheed area and some biker yesterday was riding on the highway, all the cars had to slow down so they could get around him.

is he too good to use the bike path? the car lanes have been significantly shrunk to give room for proper sidewalks and bike lanes in the area.

As both cyclist and a driver I never understood cyclists who bike on super busy streets like Kingsway and Lougheed. It is insanely dangerous to bike between parked cars and the lanes of traffic on Kingsway with the added bonus of busses and commercial vehicles. I only bike on Kingsway when absolutely necessary for a block or two and never for long stretches, but I've seen cyclist that basically bike the length of Kingsway downtown. Why, when you have a very cool and peaceful path along the Expo line and Adanac bikeway?

[WBC]

Originally Posted by Vin

Congratulations Burnaby, for taking the initiative to beautify the elevated guideway, thus joining the avant garde city of Richmond, and then Coquitlam in doing the same.

Having urban, linear park under the SkyTrain would be a huge improvement in use of space that has been essentially neglected for the last 40 years. And it would improve safety as well. Some stretches of the path around Metrotown station (Willington to Bennet) would also benefit from separating the bike path from pedestrian path to avoid conflicts.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by WBC

Why, when you have a very cool and peaceful path along the Expo line and Adanac bikeway?

i wouldn't put it past some people to do it just to piss off car drivers since legally they can do that. i have been stuck behind a cyclist on Hornby St as they biked down the car lane next to the fully separated empty bike lane.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

i wouldn't put it past some people to do it just to piss off car drivers since legally they can do that. i have been stuck behind a cyclist on Hornby St as they biked down the car lane next to the fully separated empty bike lane.

As an avid biker, and someone who thinks Vancouver is best enjoyed by bike these days; those folks should be run off the road by cars as a reminder of whos more fragile.

I despise bikers that go on main arterials despite there being a fantastic network of bike paths running parallel.

Not to mention; it sucks biking on busy shoulder anyway. Much nicer to be on a bike lane and not have fumes and cars brush by you.

It makes no sense, and it infuriates me when I see it.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by logan5

It's the kind of thing you see in hundreds of cities. Not avant garde.

I would like to see the gravel and patchy grass replaced with a linear plaza. It would give a much more urban feel.

For Richmond, it was avant garde in the Lower Mainland. Agree that the ugly patches all along the stretch should be upgraded, particularly near the skytrain stations. They should be turned into pedestrian plazas with nice landscaping features.

Sadly, the skytrain columns in the City of Vancouver still look drab, as expected, with nothing planned for the foreseeable future, and probably never will.

Originally Posted by WBC

Having urban, linear park under the SkyTrain would be a huge improvement in use of space that has been essentially neglected for the last 40 years. And it would improve safety as well. Some stretches of the path around Metrotown station (Willington to Bennet) would also benefit from separating the bike path from pedestrian path to avoid conflicts.

I'm with you on that. The areas under skytrain guideways have been underutilized for far too long.

[officedweller]

As projects were built west of Willingdon on Lougheed, the median under the guideway was beautified.
That section has - of all high maintenance plants they could choose - rose bushes.
They looked very nice during the summer.