Granville Street Bridge

[whatnext]

So, the Granville Street Bridge is closed in both directions. According to Reddit a car drove head-on into a bus. Whoever thought removing the centre barriers to add a bike lane is an idiot.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by whatnext

So, the Granville Street Bridge is closed in both directions. According to Reddit a car drove head-on into a bus. Whoever thought removing the centre barriers to add a bike lane is an idiot.

Seems strange to me that they'd have to remove the barriers for the bike lane. Is it possible that they're just removed temporarily? If the bike lane caused the centre line to be relocated then they'd have to relocate the barriers.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

So, the Granville Street Bridge is closed in both directions. According to Reddit a car drove head-on into a bus. Whoever thought removing the centre barriers to add a bike lane is an idiot.

I'm seeing it was a truck driving entirely on the wrong side at speed, that hit cars, pushing one into a bus. The truck then crossed the concrete barrier that separates the bike lanes, and ended up on the other side in the bike lanes. That suggests that a central barrier, (making the lanes narrower), would not have necessarily have prevented an incident.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

I'm seeing it was a truck driving entirely on the wrong side at speed, that hit cars, pushing one into a bus. The truck then crossed the concrete barrier that separates the bike lanes, and ended up on the other side in the bike lanes. That suggests that a central barrier, (making the lanes narrower), would not have necessarily have prevented an incident.

Apparently there was another accident just a week or so ago. Removing the centre media was a bad idea. Especially as northbound they have narrowed access to Granville to just one lane and many drivers are unaware and have a split second to cut over from the exits to Fir and 4th.

It boggles the mind that the flat bed tow truck could be trying to exit on the wrong side of the traffic lanes! Did he just immigrate from the UK?!

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Apparently there was another accident just a week or so ago. Removing the centre media was a bad idea.

I still find it baffling as to why the centre barriers would be removed at all. There's plenty of room for them on the bridge since the widths of the pedestrian and bike lanes are far less critical and could easily be adjusted by a few feet to make room for them. And the final report to council about the design shows centre barriers installed in all of the illustrations.

Hopefully the City will learn from these accidents and get them installed pronto.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

I still find it baffling as to why the centre barriers would be removed at all. There's plenty of room for them on the bridge since the widths of the pedestrian and bike lanes are far less critical and could easily be adjusted by a few feet to make room for them. And the final report to council about the design shows centre barriers installed in all of the illustrations.

Hopefully the City will learn from these accidents and get them installed pronto.

The illustrations of the interim project on the City's website don't show a central barrier. They do however show a suicide prevention fence, which the City has delayed because of the $10-20m cost.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Changing City

The illustrations of the interim project on the City's website don't show a central barrier. They do however show a suicide prevention fence, which the City has delayed because of the $10-20m cost.

Yes, but the final report to city council shows them and, more importantly, shows that there is in fact room for them. So there's no reason for them not to be there, right? Surely forklifting a bunch of Jersey barriers into place isn't a prohibitive cost.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Yes, but the final report to city council shows them and, more importantly, shows that there is in fact room for them. So there's no reason for them not to be there, right? Surely forklifting a bunch of Jersey barriers into place isn't a prohibitive cost.

There were a number of reports to Council after the report showed the design with a barrier, so there were further changes, presumably accurately reflected on the project website. The decision to drop the suicide barrier was taken after the report to Council that you are referring to.

Adding a Jersey barrier would probably involve repainting the lanes as well. I imagine you're correct that it shouldn't be prohibitive, but it would probably need Council approval - so I would guess nothing will happen until after the election.

[GenWhy?]

Does anyone know why there are barriers on Cambie and Granville bridges? Seems odd today as they have 50km speed limits

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Does anyone know why there are barriers on Cambie and Granville bridges? Seems odd today as they have 50km speed limits

Because many drivers apparently view speed limits as a frustrating minimum, and 'advisory' at best, particularly on infrastructure that looks like it was designed to be part of an unbuilt freeway network.

[idunno]

I thought that's exactly why they took the barriers out on Granville. The speed limit dropped from 60-50, and dropping the barrier helps encourage the lower speeds/feels less highway-like. Probably a good idea with the addition of the signals and ped/bike crossings to the bridge deck etc.

I wonder if they'll take the centre barrier out on Cambie bridge at some point during this 10 year seismic upgrade project.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Yes, but the final report to city council shows them and, more importantly, shows that there is in fact room for them. So there's no reason for them not to be there, right? Surely forklifting a bunch of Jersey barriers into place isn't a prohibitive cost.

I would assume that since they added concrete barriers on both sides for the sidewalk/bike lanes that weight would have been the issue in restoring the centre ones.

Fortunately there were no fatalities in this accident (though someone has life altering injuries) but with the design of that bridge and no median it is just a matter of time.

Accident details: https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/6-hospitalized-after-granville-street-bridge-crash/

Some terrifying images of that truck. 🞵🞵🞵 was the driver thinking. I sure hope they post more details on that.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdjandPxiQc/

[officedweller]

The other thing about Granville Bridge is that the crest of the bridge creates a blind spot. You cannot see past the crest until you get there. It used to be signed - not sure if it still is or not. So if there is stopped traffic in your lane just over the crest, you could rear end them if you aren't careful.
Likewise, for this wrong-way driver, if there were no oncoming cars until after the crest (since traffic comes in waves due to the traffic lights), he may not have twigged to the fact he was on the wrong side.

Here's the sign in 2020:


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Granvi..._ep=EgoyMDI2MDkxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

and in 2024:


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Granvi..._ep=EgoyMDI2MDkxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

[jollyburger]

He's at the crest but he passes the car in the far left lane and then he veers into the white cars in the right hand lane next to the bike lane. The bus was in the middle lane about 5-6 car length behind the first car.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DdjaQF5mweK/

From the front video it seems like there's no cars going south except for one closer to the Fir/West 4th exit.

If cones aren't viable maybe they can stick those rumble strip type bumps in the centre lane?

[officedweller]

Maybe he thought the bike lane dividers were the centre line dividers for car traffic?
I know it's stupid to think there'd be 4 lanes one way and one lane the other way, but you never know.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Maybe he thought the bike lane dividers were the centre line dividers for car traffic?
I know it's stupid to think there'd be 4 lanes one way and one lane the other way, but you never know.

I mean the only way it makes any sense is if he was driving from the Fir/West 4th exit ramps since there's three lanes to the right and you would assume there's at least 2 lanes coming the opposite way across a major bridge.. He never slows down when he passes the cars in the opposing lanes either so I'm guessing either mental/intoxication.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I mean the only way it makes any sense is if he was driving from the Fir/West 4th exit ramps since there's three lanes to the right and you would assume there's at least 2 lanes coming the opposite way across a major bridge.. He never slows down when he passes the cars in the opposing lanes either so I'm guessing either mental/intoxication.

I'm not sure how any sane driver could come up NB on the Fir or Fourth Avenue SB exit ramps.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Fir is fairly busy, so they'd've likely hit somebody long before getting to the main bridge... as for 4th, exactly how plastered do you have to be to mistake this for an on-ramp??

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Does anyone know why there are barriers on Cambie and Granville bridges? Seems odd today as they have 50km speed limits

There are effectively no speed limits in Vancouver. It is still technically illegal to speed but it is effectively decriminalized due to lack of enforcement. When you design a bridge to have the characteristics of a freeway, people will drive as if they're on the freeway and no amount of signage will prevent that, only enforcement or engineering will.

[jollyburger]

Actually he's head on with the dashcam video driver and then swings into the middle lane. Then for some reason continues to swerve left until he hits the cars in the right hand lane (headed south).