Posted May 30, 2009, 2:59 AM
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Ferris Wheel Hater
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,373
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Yet more bike path upgrades, the city really has been moving quickly with this. 
Quote:
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council direct staff to review and implement measures to enhance the comfort and effectiveness of existing and planned bikeway and greenway
networks by installing additional traffic calming measures, including diversionary and non-diversionary measures, on existing bikeways and that funding of $1,200,000 be allocated to support this initiative; the sources of funding are to be:
(a) $192,000 from the TransLink 2009 Bicycle Infrastructure Capital Cost Sharing Program;
(b) $264,000 from the 2007 Streets Basic Capital Budget (Greenways);
(c) $87,000 from the 2009 Streets Basic Capital Budget (Neighbourhood Traffic Calming);
(d) $657,000 from the 2009 Streets Basic Capital Budget (Bicycle Network).
Funding from the 2009 Streets Basic Capital Budget is subject to approval of the 2009 Basic Capital Budget.
B. THAT Council direct staff to limit approvals of new motor vehicle crossings on to existing and planned bikeways and greenways unless, in the opinion of the City Engineer, alternate locations are not advisable due to safety considerations, transit operations, pedestrian conflicts or site and streetscape constraints.
C. THAT Council approve implementation of bicycle routes along E 30th and 31st Avenues between Ontario Street and Windsor Street, along Windermere Street from Adanac Street to Hastings Street, and on Bridgeway between the Portside and Cassiar Bikeways to facilitate bicycle access to competition venues during the 2010 Winter Games, at a total cost of $184,000; source of funding to be the 2009 Streets Basic Capital Budget (Bicycle Network), subject to approval of the 2009 Basic Capital Budget
SUMMARY
The City’s local street bikeways make up much of the bicycle network outside the Downtown peninsula. They are popular and well-received, but some are accommodating significant nonlocal motor vehicle traffic that affects their overall comfort and efficiency for cyclists. Furthermore, adjacent redevelopment on some bikeways has incrementally degraded conditions for cyclists, especially where new driveways connect to the bikeways. Staff are seeking authority to implement measures to enhance the comfort and effectiveness of existing and planned bikeway and greenway networks by:
• Installing additional traffic calming measures, both diversionary and nondiversionary, on existing bikeways;
• Wherever possible and based on thorough staff review, limiting access from new developments on to existing and planned bikeways; and
• Reducing speed limits on local street bikeways to 30 km/h.
Residents on affected bikeways will be advised of pending traffic calming changes through a notification process and provided the opportunity to offer input prior to implementation. Non-diversionary measures (such as traffic circles) would be implemented permanently after notification of residents, whereas diversionary measures would be placed for a trial period (using temporary measures) prior to permanent installation. Staff would report to Council on a case-by-case basis only where significant issues and/or concerns arise prior to implementation or during the trial period.
Staff are also seeking approval to implement bicycle facilities to serve two competition venues during the 2010 Winter Games and to complement the existing bicycle network.
For the 2009-2011 Capital Plan, approximately $1.7 million is allocated annually toward bicycle network expansion and upgrades, and approximately $1.3 million is directed toward greenways, which generally include cycling infrastructure. Some special projects, such as the Carrall and Central Valley Greenways, also include funding for cycling facilities separate from ongoing bicycle network and greenways funding. As well, staff continually seek external costsharing with agencies such as the Province and TransLink to supplement funding provided through City sources.
Around 1990, the City made a conscious decision to pursue a network of bike routes primarily on local residential streets, with a long-term goal of achieving a 1-km grid, similar in spacing and parallel to our major arterial streets. This approach was deliberately chosen for the following reasons:
• limited rights-of-way on most major roads to accommodate dedicated bicycle facilities without reduction in capacity and/or on-street parking; and
• the grid road network throughout much of the City provides the opportunity to establish a network of bikeways on residential streets parallel to major streets while serving the same destinations and preserving access to neighbourhoods and community facilities.
Bikeway Speed Limits
Traffic speeds are also a concern for cyclists, as the severity of collisions between motor vehicles and cyclists increases exponentially with motor vehicle speed. To address this, staff will be implementing 30-km/h speed limits on local street bikeways, initially with signage where motor vehicle speeds present issues on existing bikeways
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Source
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/...ents/ttra2.pdf
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