Metro Vancouver Bike/Pedestrian Discussion

[jlousa]

Surprised no one has posted about the bike share program going ahead finally. The last time it went to council they assured us that it wouldn't cost us any money expect giving the operator free space. Now it looks like it'll cost us $6M in startup costs as well.
I'm a supporter of the bike share program but the delays and ever increasing tax payer costs are starting to make me nervous.

[cornholio]

After today wasting precious time because of the empty bike lanes and then latter on even having to go over the Burrard street bridge since you cant turn left or right at Pacific or before it (with no warning signs) I have just gotten to a point of hate that I did not think was possible in regards to bike lanes. IF a Rob Ford would come around I would vote him in a heartbeat out of spite (I am of course serious). City planning, none..these bike lanes are a monumental mess. (of course the idea is good but there is a cleat corrupt agenda.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by cornholio

After today wasting precious time because of the empty bike lanes and then latter on even having to go over the Burrard street bridge since you cant turn left or right at Pacific or before it (with no warning signs) I have just gotten to a point of hate that I did not think was possible in regards to bike lanes. IF a Rob Ford would come around I would vote him in a heartbeat out of spite (I am of course serious). City planning, none..these bike lanes are a monumental mess. (of course the idea is good but there is a cleat corrupt agenda.

The bike lanes cost you precious time did they? Any backups on the Burrard bridge are due to the intersections on both sides, not the bike traffic.

There are warning signs for the lack or turns at Pacific. Since you're a well traveled Vancouverite, you really have no excuse.

And voting for Rob Ford... I rest my case.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Surprised no one has posted about the bike share program going ahead finally. The last time it went to council they assured us that it wouldn't cost us any money expect giving the operator free space. Now it looks like it'll cost us $6M in startup costs as well.
I'm a supporter of the bike share program but the delays and ever increasing tax payer costs are starting to make me nervous.

I love the idea of a bike share, but I'm convinced it isn't workable with our helmet laws. There needs to be an exemption for people over 18, or maybe just anybody riding a bike share bike.

[whatnext]

Its interesting that despite all the money lavished on the Dunsmuir bike lane and the ensuing traffic congestion (and increased vehicle emissions) it has caused, bike usage has been sinking steadily over two years.

http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/Bike-l...-June-2013.pdf

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Its interesting that despite all the money lavished on the Dunsmuir bike lane and the ensuing traffic congestion (and increased vehicle emissions) it has caused, bike usage has been sinking steadily over two years.

http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/Bike-l...-June-2013.pdf

The usage is mixed, but to say it's "sinking steadily" is a lie. Midweek cycling (ie commuting) on the Dunsmuir viaduct is increasing.

And saying money has been lavished on the lane is pretty funny. It was a one time investment.

The traffic congestion is due to the numerous intersections at the west end.

[jlousa]

I read that bike traffic over the Burrard bridge declined yoy as well even with the Hornby lane. We had been told that traffic would've increased once it connected to something d/t. Now I guess we'll be told to wait until the Point Grey lane is built to see the increases...

After my own personal experiences with capital expenditures on bike infrastructure I've concluded that people have good intentions and want to bike, but at the end of the day either time constraints, laziness or other reasons win out and people don't bike.

[WBC]

Burrard Bridge trending down, Dunsmuir Street trending very slightly up and the Viaduct and Hornby trending up.

Well I guess time will tell if biking is a fad (see rollerblading in the 90s) or here to stay. I think it will be here to stay but I do not see reaching European highs for a long, long time (if ever)...

[Porfiry]

Originally Posted by jlousa

I read that bike traffic over the Burrard bridge declined yoy as well even with the Hornby lane.

That's not what the data shows. The data shows that year to date Burrard is stable and Hornby is up about 12% over 2012.

[jlousa]

Despite years of Mayor Gregor Robertson and his Vision Vancouver councillors peddling the merits of pedalling, ridership on the controversial Burrard Bridge separated bike lanes has declined in the past year.

Total bike trips compiled by the city for the 12 months ending April 2013 — the most recent statistics available — show that ridership is down by 16,000 compared to the previous 12-month period from May 2011 to April 2012.

On the Dunsmuir Street bike lane for the same periods, ridership fell by 30,000.

http://www.theprovince.com/travel/Bi...951/story.html

They have the graphs up in the link using the city's own data.

[Porfiry]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Total bike trips compiled by the city for the 12 months ending April 2013 — the most recent statistics available — show that ridership is down by 16,000 compared to the previous 12-month period from May 2011 to April 2012.

If you calculate the trailing 12 month usage using the current data set up to June (so July-June instead of May-April) you actually get an increase of 3,000 year over year.

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Still too many street parking spots lost. How is the city planning to make those up? Or are residents and visitors supposed to park their cars on clouds and rainbows?

Who needs vehicle parking?

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Its interesting that despite all the money lavished on the Dunsmuir bike lane and the ensuing traffic congestion (and increased vehicle emissions) it has caused, bike usage has been sinking steadily over two years.

http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/Bike-l...-June-2013.pdf

Vehicle trips into downtown is sinking steadily too!

http://pricetags.wordpress.com/2012/...-volumes-1965/

[jozero]

"
Cycling trips set new record on city streets

More than one million cycling trips were made on *Vancouver bike lanes* during the first half of 2013, according to new city data.

In total, 1,035,000 trips were made between January and June over the lanes on the Burrard Bridge, Hornby Street, Dunsmuir Street and the Dunsmuir viaduct. It’s the first time the city has managed to break the million-trip mark during the first half of a year.

In the same period last year, 997,000 trips were recorded.
"

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2013/07/18...n-city-streets


Of course these official records likely won't appease the 'I drove by in my car at (insert random time here) and the bike lanes were empty !!' crowd. Then again if I look outside my window I'd declare the earth as being flat.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by jozero

Of course these official records likely won't appease the 'I drove by in my car at (insert random time here) and the bike lanes were empty !!' crowd.

As both a motorist and a cyclist I'm not allowed to use the sidewalks, although I note that they're often empty. Nonetheless I acknowledge that pedestrians need a safe place to walk and therefore I resist the urge to call for their removal...

[TransitJack]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

As both a motorist and a cyclist I'm not allowed to use the sidewalks, although I note that they're often empty. Nonetheless I acknowledge that pedestrians need a safe place to walk and therefore I resist the urge to call for their removal...

Well said!

[s211]

On the bike issue, Visionistas have gone from social engineering to social cleansing. They couldn't give a cold rat's ass about pedestrians or automated vehicles of any shape or purpose. Their single platform approach to the city's circulation system is, to quote Bart Simpson, as thin as grandma's underwear.

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by s211

On the bike issue, Visionistas have gone from social engineering to social cleansing. They couldn't give a cold rat's ass about pedestrians or automated vehicles of any shape or purpose. Their single platform approach to the city's circulation system is, to quote Bart Simpson, as thin as grandma's underwear.

Since we're exaggerating and quoting the Simpsons, I think Kent Brockman said it best: "Ladies and gentlemen, I've been to been to Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and I can say without hyperbole that this is a million times worse than all of them put together".

Invoking "social cleansing" in reference to bikes makes me think of Godwin's Law.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

Since we're exaggerating and quoting the Simpsons, I think Kent Brockman said it best: "Ladies and gentlemen, I've been to been to Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and I can say without hyperbole that this is a million times worse than all of them put together".

Invoking "social cleansing" in reference to bikes makes me think of Godwin's Law.

Hyperbole? mayeb but even the Globe & Mail (generally Vision-friendly) editorializes Gregor's Gone Too Far:

We are all for improved bicycle-path networks in cities – where they make sense. But with a proposal to close off part of a Vancouver thoroughfare to traffic and make it part of a cycling network, the city government’s aggressive pedal-pushing may have gone a gear too far.

The changes would close a key gap in a 28-kilometre seaside cycling route stretching from downtown to Spanish Banks, in accordance with city plans that identify this stretch as a priority. But they will also essentially close off a 1-km stretch of Point Grey Rd. to vehicles, with traffic expected to fall from about 10,000 vehicles a day to about 400.

That will be great for cyclists and pedestrians, not to mention the mansion dwellers who live on this stretch of oceanfront road, where houses cost in the many millions and where – in an extreme example – Chip Wilson, the founder of Lululemon, recently built a monster of a beachfront home, assessed at $35-million. These privileged few will have have far less traffic whizzing by their security gates, and, should they choose, they will have a safer way to cycle downtown, or over to the beach.....

bold mine-as in look for the money

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/comme...ticle13309324/

[Porfiry]

Originally Posted by whatnext

These privileged few will have have far less traffic whizzing by their security gates, and, should they choose, they will have a safer way to cycle downtown, or over to the beach.....[/I]

I thought the rich were against it. Not wanting to share their parks and so forth.