Metro Vancouver Bike/Pedestrian Discussion

[SFUVancouver]

(Mark Forsythe/CBC)

Vancouver's Hornby bike lane gets green light
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 6, 2010 | 8:02 AM PT
CBC News | Source


Vancouver city councillors voted unanimously on Tuesday night to build a second downtown bike lane along Hornby Street, after a marathon public hearing.

The vote came late in the evening after the council spent much of the day hearing from dozens of residents, riders, and business owners about the plan. Just before midnight, the councillors voted to spend $3.2 million to build the two-way separated bike lane.

The plan calls for barriers to divide the lane from vehicles, new traffic and bike signals, and more passenger and loading zones for vehicles. It is the final phase of a plan to connect the Burrard Bridge bike lane with the Dunsmuir Viaduct bike lane with a separated route through the downtown core.

“The fact is Vancouver has just 0.5 per cent of its roadway dedicated exclusively for cyclists,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson in a statement released after the vote.

“We don’t have the capacity to accommodate more car traffic in our city. We don’t have room for new roads. The shift we’ve seen over the past decade is towards transit, cycling and walking, and this new bike lane reflects that,” he said.

Councillors also said opinion polls show the majority of residents support the plan, and most shoppers already either walk or take public transit to reach Hornby Street.

...

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-col...#ixzz11b4qciZ3

[tybuilding]

I heard Kim Seal on Jack FM say that bikes are ok on Skytrain during rush hour now, even in rush hour direction. But there is nothing in the news or on the Translink website. Anyone else heard anything?

[WarrenC12]

I find it surprising this morning that citycaucus, who jumps on anything anti-Gregor, seems to support this as well.

In budgetary terms, does anybody know what it cost to repave Hastings last weekend from Renfrew to Boundary? They started tearing this up during the PNE (awesome timing) and had traffic in a giant mess during the Lions game.

I'm betting the whole thing cost more than the bike lanes, and it wasn't even necessary.

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I find it surprising this morning that citycaucus, who jumps on anything anti-Gregor, seems to support this as well.

In budgetary terms, does anybody know what it cost to repave Hastings last weekend from Renfrew to Boundary? They started tearing this up during the PNE (awesome timing) and had traffic in a giant mess during the Lions game.

I'm betting the whole thing cost more than the bike lanes, and it wasn't even necessary.

The left turn lanes on Knight Street will cost the same amount of money I heard Councilor Meggs say.

[simonfiction]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

I heard Kim Seal on Jack FM say that bikes are ok on Skytrain during rush hour now, even in rush hour direction. But there is nothing in the news or on the Translink website. Anyone else heard anything?

Maybe she was referring to this?

http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Tra...r-service.aspx

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by simonfiction

Maybe she was referring to this?

Ah, interesting. So the rules haven't changed, but they're providing more trains to handle the "pent-up demand" for bicycles during the first 15 minutes that they're allowed to travel in that direction.

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Ah, interesting. So the rules haven't changed, but they're providing more trains to handle the "pent-up demand" for bicycles during the first 15 minutes that they're allowed to travel in that direction.

Ok this makes sense. I usually travel to be at work just after 9 and if I take my bike on it is right at 9. Same with the evening if the weather turns bad I wait till just before 6 at the office to get on the Skytrain right at 6.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

Ok this makes sense. I usually travel to be at work just after 9 and if I take my bike on it is right at 9. Same with the evening if the weather turns bad I wait till just before 6 at the office to get on the Skytrain right at 6.

Still doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me... the bicycle issue is a tough one though, I don't think they should be allowed on during these times, but this policy is almost more confusing than anything.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Still doesn't seem to make a lot of sense to me... the bicycle issue is a tough one though, I don't think they should be allowed on during these times, but this policy is almost more confusing than anything.

They haven't changed the policy at all, they've just provided more trains for the short time when cyclist demand peaks.

[racc]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I find it surprising this morning that citycaucus, who jumps on anything anti-Gregor, seems to support this as well.

I suspect they have looked at polls showing there is broad support for separated bike lanes in Vancouver. It would be a wedge issue on the right side of the political spectrum so there really is no point in them opposing it.

[racc]

Originally Posted by madmigs

Same as for bikes, they are not allowed(by law) on the sidewalk, but that doesn't mean people won't do it. Kids are allowed to use the sidewalk, when I was growing up anything under 20" wheels were allowed on the sidewalks.

Actually bikes are allowed on sidewalks in some municipalities including Maple Ridge and New West. Bikes are also allowed on some other sidewalks as indicated by signage.

[whatnext]

Illustration of the farcical nature of Robertson and Vision Vancouver's "commitment" to consultation - this evening city crews were installing signs all around routes into downtown warning of delays on Hornby St due to bike lane construction. The CFIB called it completely accurately - mayor & council had no intention of listening to those who made presentations at yesterday's meeting.

I expect Visionless to lay low on bike lanes for awhile - until at least after the next election. But merchants on Broadway, Cambie and/or Main better take note - it will likely be their parking disappearing next and they are far more reliant on it.

[Porfiry]

Originally Posted by whatnext

The CFIB called it completely accurately - mayor & council had no intention of listening to those who made presentations at yesterday's meeting.

Well that's nonsense of course. Regarding the people who spoke, it was "split fairly evenly into supporters and opponents of the dedicated bike lane". So what of the half that were in agreement with Council? Their voices are irrelevant to you?

(Don't answer that, I know your answer)

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by whatnext

The CFIB called it completely accurately - mayor & council had no intention of listening to those who made presentations at yesterday's meeting.

I don't think it comes as a big surprise that the CFIB and the DVBIA would have had to come up with something pretty stunning in order to sway council. But their effort was pretty weak. Frankly, council would have looked pretty foolish to side with them, IMHO.

I watched the council meeting, and the best the business lobbyists could muster was essentially that downtown businesses are "worried" that they'll loose business. Given the societal trends in cycling attitudes across North America, "worries" are not enough to stop this kind of thing.

They weren't able to cite ANY evidence that bike lanes systematically hurt businesses, even it meant parking would have to be relocated elsewhere. They came up with NOTHING except their own member's "estimates" of loss of business. They were unable to say by what methodology these estimates were arrived. "Each owner knows their business knows best," they said, but all they were able to offer were essentially guesses by businesses which, from the sound of it, were fearing the worst.

This despite the fact that 4 years ago massive amounts of on-street parking was removed from Seymour and Howe streets to accommodate Canada Line construction. If that caused a systematic impact on the businesses on those streets, it should have been easy for them to drum up some numbers.

The fact that they couldn't speaks volumes, IMHO.

[radacal]

any information on right turn restrictions on hornby?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Porfiry

Well that's nonsense of course. Regarding the people who spoke, it was "split fairly evenly into supporters and opponents of the dedicated bike lane". So what of the half that were in agreement with Council? Their voices are irrelevant to you?

(Don't answer that, I know your answer)

Your excuses don't change the fact that the signs were obviously already made and ready to go. Therefore even a child could see that nothing the presenters against the bike lane could have said was going to influence Vision's collective mind (such as it is). Instead they used the meeting as an excuse to belittle those who disagreed with their agenda (listening Councillor Meggs?)

Aberdeen, all they had to do was ask merchants hurt by the Burrard Bike lane - Appleton Gallery and Art Knapps. Documented cases. I also wonder if the merchants on Burrard between Pacific and Drake have figured out what's about to hit them.

Also I notice Dobrovolny persists in saying the replacement parking spaces are being "reinstated" along Howe St. The majority of those spaces were not there before busses began running on Howe and certainly not in the increased amount of hours which will now be in force. In other words, expect the major connector from downtown to the Granville St bridge now to be bumper to bumper throughout the day. Of course this will increase vehicle emissions, but this whole exercise has never been about reducing emissions anyway.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Aberdeen, all they had to do was ask merchants hurt by the Burrard Bike lane - Appleton Gallery and Art Knapps. Documented cases.

So if that's the case, then why on earth didn't the business reps bring that up during their presentation to the council meeting?

That was my point - the CFIB and DVBIA presentations to the council didn't cite anything substantial to back their claims. The fact that they didn't mention these or any other cases strongly suggests to me that perhaps there's more smoke than fire there. It's either that or they're incompetent.

If they wanted to stop the bike lanes they needed to do more than just complain about "process". They needed to present some sort of verifiable evidence that the bike lanes would do harm. They didn't, so the bike lanes are coming. Now we'll actually find out one way or the other.

[Porfiry]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Your excuses don't change the fact that the signs were obviously already made and ready to go.

Who do these guys think they are! The government!? They're behaving as if someone elected them and told them to run the city.

[whatnext]

Uh oh, just checked in with Citycaucus and its Breaking News Councillor Anton is rescinding her support for the lane for exactly the reasons I outlined in my two posts above. (and for the record, I'm not Suzanne Anton )

STATEMENT FROM NPA CITY COUNCILLOR SUZANNE ANTON

“No one who spoke to council on Tuesday expected to be a part of a Kangeroo council,” says Coun. Anton..

...I've learned that at 7:30am on the morning after council's decision, crews and equipment began immediate work on the new Hornby Street bike lane. It's clear to me from prepared signage and work plans that logistics for this project were not done overnight, and that staff was given direction to undertake this work weeks ago. Furthermore, I've learned that the road had already been marked in preparation for the work as early as Monday, a full day before the public meeting took place....

http://citycaucus.com/

[EastVanMark]

so the workers were ready to start hours after the session by city council... oh yeah, its not like all this was pre-ordained or anything...