Metro Vancouver Bike & Pedestrian Discussion - Page 7

b5baxter · #**121** Posted **Feb 18, 2009, 6:34 PM**

Construction was continuing Monday between Rupert and Boundary on the Central Valley Greeneway

photo by me

worldwide · #**122** Posted **Feb 18, 2009, 9:15 PM**

yeah i rode that stretch last night, its really getting there now. theres a really sharp turn just east of there where the path runs between bridge supports for highway 1. somebody's gonna crash there.

the real scandalous section is between costco and still creek ave where it goes through the burnaby yard waste depot. i got a flat there on sunday, and i almost never get flats. i was running a schwalbe puncture protection tyre with a mr tuffy. theres some sharp rocks, glass, and nails in the dirt there. i'm not proud of this, but i rode out my flat all the way to the chevron at lougheed and sperling.

b5baxter · #**123** Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 4:52 PM**

I just noticed that the city of Vancouver has up the bike routes for 2010 at:
http://olympichostcity.vancouver.ca/pdf/Host%20City%20bike%20network.pdf

It includes information on detours around security closures (eg. Ontario bike route) as well as some new bike routes that are not yet complete (Central Valley Greenway, South Cambie / Canadaline Bridge).

WarrenC12 · #**124** Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 5:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldwide

the real scandalous section is between costco and still creek ave where it goes through the burnaby yard waste depot. i got a flat there on sunday, and i almost never get flats. i was running a schwalbe puncture protection tyre with a mr tuffy. theres some sharp rocks, glass, and nails in the dirt there. i'm not proud of this, but i rode out my flat all the way to the chevron at lougheed and sperling.

That sucks, but I'm glad to see the path coming along. I live in the Renfrew and Grandview area, now I can at least go both directions.

How's that bridge near Sperling coming along?

From the posts in the ground with wires I take it this path will eventually be lit up 24 hrs?

b5baxter · #**125** Posted **Mar 12, 2009, 7:59 PM**

The bridge was still under construction a couple of weeks ago:

here is the trail just west of the bridge:

and a little farther west:

all photos by me.

Jared · #**126** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 4:55 AM**

Thanks for the pictures, b5baxter.

Does anyone know what the completion timeline is for the Burnaby segments?

officedweller · #**127** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 6:25 PM**

Cool shots.

SpongeG · #**128** Posted **Mar 14, 2009, 8:55 PM**

lots of changes in new west for the greenway looks good

Metro-One · #**129** Posted **Mar 14, 2009, 9:12 PM**

That bridge has been under construction forever it seems, i really do hope it is finished soon, looks like it will be a nice looking structure!

b5baxter · #**130** Posted **Mar 16, 2009, 4:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jared

Does anyone know what the completion timeline is for the Burnaby segments?

Some of the signs along the route mention "Spring 2009." My guess is they are trying to have it finished by June so that they can have a grand opening for bike month.

zivan56 · #**131** Posted **Mar 18, 2009, 11:03 PM**

Has anybody seen the bike trip planner created by UBC?
http://www.cyclevancouver.ubc.ca/
Calculates slopes and tells you where the bike activated signals are...

racc · #**132** Posted **Mar 18, 2009, 11:21 PM**

Supposedly the grand opening will on June 13.

usog · #**133** Posted **Mar 27, 2009, 7:03 AM**

Anyone else get the latest translink survey? Apparently they are looking at more full-service bike racks/areas?

jlousa · #**134** Posted **Apr 2, 2009, 3:23 AM**

Nothing major but still good to see the COV spending money here and there on improving our bikeways. Looks like Burnaby will be improving theirs as well.

BACKGROUND
Vancouver’s Midtown Bikeway was implemented in 1998. It extends from the University Endowment Lands (UEL) at the intersection of Camosun and SW Marine at its western end to Boundary Road at Moscrop Street at its eastern end. Direct bicycle access to the University of BC is provided by bicycle shoulders on SW Marine Drive in the UEL. Burnaby is in the process of creating an extension of the Midtown Bikeway from Boundary Road at Moscrop to New Westminster.

DISCUSSION
Vancouver’s Moscrop Street is developed as a local street bikeway (a low volume residential street designated with signs and pavement markings). Its intersection with Boundary Road is offset to the south of the intersection of Burnaby’s Moscrop Street with Boundary Road. Burnaby’s Moscrop Street is a Cycle Road (a collector street intended to accommodate bicycles) and also has an Urban Trail (a shared pedestrian/bicycle path) along its north side. A traffic signal exists at the intersection of Burnaby’s Moscrop and Boundary Road. A cycling facility is needed on the west side of Boundary Road to provide access to the signalized crossing in order to connect Vancouver’s bikeway with Burnaby’s cycling facilities.
The recommended cycling facility is a paved, two way off-street bicycle path on the west side of Boundary Road. Space for the path will be created by moving the west curb of Boundary Road 2.5 m to the east, displacing the existing parking lane, for a distance of about 60 m. Due to by-law intersection clearances only 2 legal parking spaces will be lost. A treed boulevard will separate the bicycle path from the adjacent traffic lane.
The adjacent property is a vacant lot belonging to the Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver. It is expected that this site will be developed in the future as a community centre. Representatives of the Greek Orthodox Community of East Vancouver have been informed about the bikeway connector project. They have asked that construction not interfere with the annual Greek Days festival, scheduled to be held between June 26 and July 5, 2009.

officedweller · #**135** Posted **Apr 9, 2009, 7:51 PM**

Bike paths in Surrey...

Quote:

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

April 8, 2009
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

LARGEST CYCLING INVESTMENT IN SURREY’S HISTORY

SURREY – A $12.5-million investment in Surrey’s cycling infrastructure will provide new overpasses and major upgrades to bike paths throughout the city, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Kevin Falcon and MP Russ Hiebert announced today.

“This is the largest investment in cycling in Surrey’s history,” said Falcon. “With these dollars we are going to add some key links to the cycling network and also make it safer to cross Highway 1 and Highway 99. With a safer and more extensive cycling network, we are encouraging more people to get out of their cars and explore the city on their bikes.”

The investment will add three cycling overpasses in Surrey: over Highway 1 at 168th Street, over Highway 99 off the Pioneer Bicycle Path and over the North Creek at 180th Street.

“This investment will bring fantastic opportunities for Surrey residents to get out and enjoy a healthier way of getting around their community,” said Hiebert.

The investment will also add 10.6 km of new bicycle pathways throughout the city and 2.8 km of new bicycle lanes leading to the Port Mann Bridge. In total, 11 projects will receive funding across eight trail systems. The trail systems receiving funding include the Green Timbers, Wildflower, Serpentine, Cloverdale, Semiahmoo, Quibble Creek, Fraser Heights and Clayton Bicycle Paths.

“We are very pleased to see a collaborative partnership to boost our cycling infrastructure, as it will serve a broad range of Surrey residents,” said Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts.

All of the projects will be one-third cost-shared by the federal government, provincial government and City of Surrey except for the North Creek overpass at 180th Street, which will be funded jointly by the province and City of Surrey through the LocalMotion program.

The provincial portion of the funding comes from an overall $14-billion capital infrastructure program (www.gov.bc.ca/infrastructure) that will create up to 88,000 jobs and help build vital public infrastructure in every region of B.C.

The federal portion of the funding comes from the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund to provide funding to provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure projects. Funding will be available for two years for projects that will begin during the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons.

jlousa · #**136** Posted **Apr 18, 2009, 2:57 AM**

I'm very pro-bike but I'm just not in favour of the burrard st bridge lane relocation, i'd much rather prefer a passerrelle built instead. Anyways we now know the planned date for the beginning of the trial, you heard it hear first.

The city is requesting a total of 855 cement barriers.

Quote:

b) Install Precast Reinforced Concrete Barriers on the Burrard Bridge and adjacentstreets as directed by the City of Vancouver.
(c) Supply, deliver and install all barriers on Saturday May 30, 2009 and/or Sunday May 31, 2009 or a later date to be determined by the City of Vancouver.

racc · #**137** Posted **Apr 18, 2009, 3:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

I'm very pro-bike but I'm just not in favour of the burrard st bridge lane relocation, i'd much rather prefer a passerrelle built instead. Anyways we now know the planned date for the beginning of the trial, you heard it hear first.

The city is requesting a total of 855 cement barriers.

A passerrelle would be fantastic. However it would take years to design, plan, fund and build. A decently looking one would cost at least $100 million dollars. It also may not be possible to site one close enough to Burrard Bridge to serve as an alternative to the bridge. While it would generate additional cycling and walking trips, it is not apparent that it would solve the safety and capacity on Burrard Bridge.

In many cities around the world including London, Copenhagen and Lyon, they provide good cycling facilities on general traffic bridges AND building bike and ped only bridges.

In 1995, Portland reallocated a lane of traffic on the Burnside Bridge. Some people of course were predicting traffic chaos. Surprisingly enough, everything was fine. Portland, in the meantime, has increased cycling dramatically, surpassing Vancouver.

It is only a trial. Before spending millions of dollars on new bridges or widening the bridge, it makes sense to see if it works. If it doesn't, we are in trouble, because, compared to the traffic disruption that will be caused by street closures during the Olympics, the lane reallocation on Burrard Bridge is nothing.

Have faith that people are resourceful enough to figure out how to get around with having four lanes on Burrard. Compared to the other challenges that people overcome in their lives, the trial is really minor.

Just have an open mind and give it a chance. Take the opportunity to enjoy walking, running or cycling over the bridge. It will be really fantastic.

jlousa · #**138** Posted **Apr 18, 2009, 4:12 AM**

A Passerrelle does not need to cost $100 Million, heck there is no reason you couldn't build one for $10Million, sure it won't be fancy but it doesn't need to be. Carrying only bikes and people it doesn't need to be hefty. Anyways I just see this trial as a half-measure. If they wanted a better trial period chose either a spring or a fall trial for a better picture, why pick summer? I'm sure if they had picked Winter the results would be very different. This whole process is so full of politics even those that agree with the trial must realize it.

racc · #**139** Posted **Apr 18, 2009, 6:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

A Passerrelle does not need to cost $100 Million, heck there is no reason you couldn't build one for $10Million, sure it won't be fancy but it doesn't need to be. Carrying only bikes and people it doesn't need to be hefty. Anyways I just see this trial as a half-measure. If they wanted a better trial period chose either a spring or a fall trial for a better picture, why pick summer? I'm sure if they had picked Winter the results would be very different. This whole process is so full of politics even those that agree with the trial must realize it.

The estimate for a Passerrelle was $50 million for a basic bridge when the widening was $12 million. The widening is now $30 million so it is reasonable to expect the cost of a Passerrelle at least double. To go for a signature bridge that looked good could cost much more.

They have to build ped bridges to crush loads when people are packed together shoulder to shoulder as might be the case during the fireworks or a similar event. When people are packed shoulder to shoulder, their combined weight is actually greater load on the bridge than vehicles packed on the bridge would. Every year there seems to a ped bridge that collapses and people are killed because it was not built strong enough. For False Creek, it has to be pretty much as high as the Burrard Bridge to allow clearance for boats.

The trial will be in place in September which has the heaviest traffic of the year and will be in place until the end of November (or at least that was the plan) so the trial would be valid test.

whatnext · #**140** Posted **Apr 22, 2009, 1:34 AM**

The Burrard Bridge lane closure will be a disaster. I rarely use Burrard Bridge but did on a recent Saturday and traffic was nearly solid from Kits into downtown. It will be chaos with one less lane. The whole plan's a ridiculous greenwash. By pandering to, what 1-2% of trips, done by those who commute by bike, thousands of transit riders will be inconvenienced as their bus crawls across the bridge. The increased emissions from busses alone will offset any small gains in cyclists.

Vancouver's climate is too damp too make cycling a serious alternative for the vast majority of commuters