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Posted Apr 30, 2009, 7:21 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 41,841
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The staff report on the trial has finally been posted - note that CTV got Option 2 wrong!
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20090505/documents/TT2.pdf
Note the staff bias against this option, even though all of the other bike lanes in the City are comparable to 1.5m in widh on City streets. Speed limit on Burrard Bridge is 60 km/h, only 10 km/h more than City streets. Bollards could be erected to ensure cars do not drift into the bike lane.
Quote:
• Two (2) bicycle lanes, five (5) motor vehicle lanes – One existing general purpose lane
would be converted to provide 1.5-m bicycle lanes in each direction with no separation
from motor vehicle traffic. 1.5-m bicycle lanes on the Burrard Bridge (adjacent to highspeed
traffic and high curbs) would not meet Canadian guidelines for new cycling
facilities, and may be less safe than the existing sidewalk operation. In fact, this option
may deter cyclists from using the bridge.
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Quote:
Lane Configuration
The Burrard Bridge currently has three northbound and three southbound vehicle lanes, each
3.0m (10 feet) wide. Sidewalks on each side of the bridge are generally 2.6m (8½ft) wide and
are currently shared by cyclists and pedestrians.
A trial lane re-allocation could be implemented by converting one or both curb lanes to
bicycle lanes, with options for the use of the sidewalks. Three options are described below:
1. Two (2) bicycle lanes, two (2) pedestrian-only sidewalks , four (4) motor vehicle lanes
– The two existing general purpose curb lanes would be converted to bike lanes and
physically separated from motor vehicle traffic with barriers, providing 2.0-2.5m wide
northbound and southbound bike lanes on the roadway. Both sidewalks would return to
the exclusive use of pedestrians.
2. One (1) bicycle lane, one (1)shared sidewalk, one (1) pedestrian-only sidewalk, five (5)
motor vehicle lanes – One existing general purpose curb lane would be converted to
provide space for cyclists on the roadway in the form of a single 2.0-2.5m wide lane on
the roadway. Experience suggests that a southbound conversion may have the less
impact on vehicular traffic than a northbound conversion. The sidewalk adjacent to
the new bike lane would be available for the exclusive use of pedestrians. The other
sidewalk would remain in the existing shared configuration. Such an operation would
improve safety, comfort and capacity for southbound pedestrians and cyclists, while
leaving northbound conditions unchanged for both. Pedestrian connections to the
bridge would be unaffected.
3. One (1) road-level bicycle lane, one (1) bicycle-only sidewalk (east side), one (1)
pedestrian-only sidewalk (west side), five (5) motor vehicle lanes – One existing
general purpose curb lane would be converted to provide space for cyclists on the
roadway in the form of a single 2.0-2.5m wide lane on the roadway. Experience
suggests that a southbound conversion may have the less impact on vehicular traffic
than a northbound conversion. All pedestrians would be directed to use the west
sidewalk, which currently has almost twice the pedestrian use of the east sidewalk.
The east sidewalk would be designated for the exclusive use of northbound cyclists.
This arrangement would improve safety, comfort and capacity for all cyclists. It would
remove pedestrian/cyclist conflicts on the sidewalk, increasing comfort for many
pedestrians. However, some pedestrians who currently use the east sidewalk would
have to make additional road crossings to cross False Creek.
Two additional lane configurations were reviewed but are not considered feasible for a trial:
• Two (2) bicycle lanes, five (5) motor vehicle lanes – One existing general purpose lane
would be converted to provide 1.5-m bicycle lanes in each direction with no separation
from motor vehicle traffic. 1.5-m bicycle lanes on the Burrard Bridge (adjacent to highspeed
traffic and high curbs) would not meet Canadian guidelines for new cycling
facilities, and may be less safe than the existing sidewalk operation. In fact, this option
may deter cyclists from using the bridge.
• Reversible motor vehicle lane – In a configuration with five motor vehicle lanes, a centre
reversible lane designed to accommodate changing directional traffic volumes would
require the installation of extensive and complex traffic management measures and is
therefore not possible as a trial measure in 2009. Lane management for reversible lanes on
the Lions Gate Bridge and the Massey Tunnel extend 600-1000m in advance of the
reversible lanes. Similar arrangements on Burrard Street could extend as far north as
Robson Street and as far south as Broadway. The Lions Gate Bridge and Massey Tunnel do
not have arterial street intersections within their lane management zones. Because the
Burrard Bridge has fairly equal northbound and southbound traffic volume through most of
the day, such an arrangement may not be effective even as a permanent measure.
The two-lane re-allocation (Option 1) has the following characteristics:
• Enhanced pedestrian experience and safety. The two-lane re-allocation allows for the
removal of cyclists from both sidewalks, returning the sidewalks to their original use and
eliminating pedestrian-bicycle conflicts for those who choose to walk across the bridge.
Pedestrian volumes observed during the trial would therefore more likely reflect a
permanent removal of cyclists from the sidewalks.
• Enhanced cycling experience and safety. A two-lane re-allocation would provide cycling
facilities that meet current Canadian guidelines with increased capacity, safety and
comfort in both directions. Cyclists could travel in both directions without concern for
conflict with pedestrians or motor vehicle traffic on the bridge. Wider bike lanes mean
that faster cyclists could pass other cyclists, particularly on the uphill segments, and
would accommodate inline skating and bicycles with trailers. The provision of wider bike
lanes separated from traffic may appeal more to recreational cyclists and could enable a
complete cycling loop of False Creek via Burrard Bridge. Lastly, cyclist volumes observed
during the trial are more likely to reflect a permanent provision of adequate separated
cycling space.
• Reduction in vehicular traffic capacity in both directions. Both northbound and
southbound vehicle capacity would be reduced from three to two lanes with resulting
effects on goods movement, transit and other motorized traffic.
• Improved ability to comprehensively assess impacts. With a two-lane re-allocation, the
effects of providing two vehicle lanes northbound and two vehicle lanes southbound can
be fully assessed for the full period of the trial. This provides for a more complete
assessment of impacts on transit, goods movement and general traffic, the central
purpose of a trial.
The single-lane re-allocation with a shared east sidewalk (Option 2) has the following
characteristics:
• Enhanced cycling experience and safety for southbound cyclists Northbound cyclists
will still face the challenges of sharing the sidewalk with pedestrians.
• Maintains a complete pedestrian sidewalk network. Pedestrians on the west side of the
bridge will have increased comfort and safety through exclusive use of the west sidewalk.
Pedestrians on the east side will have a more direct route than option 3 but will be
required to continue to share the east sidewalk with cyclists.
• Decreased impact on transit, goods movement, and vehicular traffic with no impact on
northbound vehicle traffic; reduced capacity for southbound traffic with requirement
for redirection to Granville and Cambie Bridges.
The single-lane re-allocation with the east sidewalk converted to a bike path (Option 3) has
the following characteristics:
• Increased cycling capacity, safety and comfort in both directions. Cyclists could travel
in both directions without concern for conflict with pedestrians or motor vehicle traffic on
the bridge
• Enhanced pedestrian safety as cyclist/pedestrian conflicts on sidewalks are eliminated.
However the redirection of pedestrians on the east sidewalk will result in some
inconvenience through additional road crossings and a slightly longer route.
• Decreased impact on transit, goods movement, and vehicular traffic with no impact on
northbound vehicle traffic; reduced capacity for southbound traffic with requirement
for redirection to Granville and Cambie Bridge.
****************
APPENDIX D
PAGE 1 OF 1
Intersections and Connecting Streets
The configuration and operation of the two intersections serving the bridge will be critical to
the safe and efficient implementation of a lane re-allocation trial. A number of measures are
listed below which will form the basis of modified intersection operations. It should be noted
that this list is not intended to be definitive. Details of intersection operations will continue
to be refined up to and during the trial. A number of these measures would not be needed if a
one-lane re-allocation trial were implemented.
1. Transit Lane on Cornwall Avenue, Cypress to Burrard – to provide queue jumping for
transit, the third eastbound lane on Cornwall will become a dedicated transit lane
from its introduction at Cypress to the bridge.
2. Transit Lane on Burrard Street, 1st to Cornwall - to provide queue jumping for transit,
the third northbound lane on Burrard (adjacent to an existing bike lane) will become a
dedicated transit lane from 1st to the bridge.
3. Parking Regulation Changes on Burrard Street, Broadway to 1st – to limit the capacity
of the road network to feed traffic to the Burrard Bridge and to encourage use of
other bridges, existing peak period regulations will be modified or removed to
maintain two northbound lanes of general purpose traffic on Burrard, north of
Broadway. A dedicated right-turn lane may be introduced at 4th to facilitate vehicle
re-routing to Granville Bridge.
4. Southbound Transit Lane on Burrard Street, Pacific to bridge abutment - to provide
enhanced queue jumping for transit, the existing southbound bus lane on Burrard will
be extended approximately 50m south of Pacific.
5. Northbound Transit Lane on Burrard Street, bridge abutment to Pacific – a short bus
lane will be provided approaching the Burrard and Pacific intersection to aid busses
destined for the far-side bus stop on Burrard at Pacific.
6. Pacific to Burrard right-turn slip lane – this eastbound to southbound slip lane will be
reduced from two lanes to one.
7. Burrard to Pacific right-turn slip lane – this northbound to eastbound slip lane will be
re-configured to maintain a single vehicle and to create a bicycle lane connecting to
Hornby Street to provide enhanced cycling access to the downtown bicycle network
form the Burrard Bridge.
8. Pacific to Burrard left-turn lanes – one of two existing left turn lanes will be
eliminated to accommodate the addition of the bicycle lane noted above
9. Bus phases added to Burrard/Pacific and Burrard/Cornwall signals – dedicated signal
phases could be added to hold other traffic while permitting buses to proceed, but at
the cost of overall intersection capacity. Further analysis or early trial monitoring will
precede implementing such measures. Translink staff have requested that the signal
phases be provided from the start of the trial on both Burrard Street approaches to the
bridge to address concerns related to buses merging through curves in the roadway.
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Last edited by officedweller; Apr 30, 2009 at 7:39 PM.
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