CITY OF VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER TRAFFIC COMMISSION
JANUARY 11, 1996
A regular meeting of the Vancouver Traffic Commission was held on
Thursday, January 11, 1996, at approximately 7:30 p.m. in Committee
Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: Councillor Bellamy, Chair
Councillor Chiavario *
Councillor Clarke
Councillor Price
MANAGER'S REPRESENTATIVE: Dave Rudberg, General Manager,
Engineering Services
CLERK: Lawrence Cantrell
* (Councillor Chiavario arrived at 7:45, having been
delayed on City business at Queen Alexandra School.)
Power to Act
On January 11, 1994, Council by the required majority, granted
this Commission Power to Act on all unanimous decisions. The
decisions of the Commission contained herein are unanimous and,
therefore, stand approved.
Adoption of Minutes
The Minutes of the Vancouver Traffic Commission meeting of
December 7, 1995, were adopted as circulated.
1. 57th Avenue - Oak to Granville File: 5762-4
The Commission considered an Administrative Report dated November
28, 1995 (on file), in which the General Manager of Engineering
Services requested Council approval for reconstruct-ing 57th Avenue
from Oak to Granville.
Mr Ken Low of the Transportation Design Division of the
Engineering Services Department provided background information on
57th Avenue and on recent actions addressed to bringing about its
reconstruction: 57th Avenue is a designated secondary east-west
arterial route. It is in such poor and deteriorating condition that
regular maintenance, such as patching, is no longer practical. In
June 1994, a proposal to construct curbing and roadway to a width of
13 metres was defeated by the objections of property owners fronting
on 57th Avenue. On the defeat of the original proposal, Council
directed staff to provide neighbourhood residents with alternative
proposals and to report back to the Vancouver Traffic Commission on
the residents' reaction to them. The Engineering Services Department
developed three proposals, Options A, B and C, in decreasing order of
work to be done and cost. In October and November of 1995, staff
distributed 2,000 questionnaires to the residents of the neighbourhood
surrounding the blocks in question. Staff also set up an Open House
meeting at which residents could make their opinions known directly.
There were 374 returns, or 19% of the total mail-out, a typical return
rate for such questionnaires. Nineteen residents appeared at the Open
House. On analysis of the returns, Engineering Services Department
staff concluded that the neighbourhood regarded Option B as the most
acceptable of the three choices.
Three neighbourhood residents addressed the Commission:
Mr Charley Tarnow, 404-7281 Cambie Street, complained strongly
about the current pot-holed and unacceptably deteriorated state of
57th Avenue. He advocated the placement of curbs for the entire
length of the project. His preference was for Option A and its curbs,
but he stated that he could accept Option B.
Mrs Ethel Barton, 1662 West 57th Avenue, questioned some of the
procedures used in reporting the results of the survey. She also
wanted curbs along the length of the project and expressed some
displeasure that bicycle lanes seemed to have taken precedence over
curbing. She supported Option A.
Clause No. 1 Continued
Mr Bill Gin, 1138 West 57th Avenue, strongly objected to both the
survey, which he considered to be flawed in conception, and to City
staff s recommendation of Option B. He opposed any widening of the
existing street and the increase in traffic that would follow such a
change. He expressed no objections to curbs, as such. He questioned
the need for bicycle lanes.
In the discussion which followed, a member of the Commission
asked for the current width of paving on these blocks of 57th Avenue.
Mr Ian Adam, Assistant City Engineer, stated there are about 7
metres of paved road and 6 metres of gravel on average, but that there
is substantial variation from block to block and point to point.
The Commission spent a considerable time discussing street widths
yielded by the various options, with and without the addition of
curbs.
A Commission member asked whether it remains true that any
residents of the City can, on a block-by-block basis, petition to have
curbs installed at any time.
Mr. Adam replied that is the case.
Councillor Clarke moved that Recommendation A of the
Administrative Report of November 28, 1995, be adopted as it appears
in the Report. The motion CARRIED. The Commission, therefore,
RESOLVED
A. THAT the Local Improvement for curbing and widening
57th Avenue, between Oak and Granville, to an arterial
standard of 13 metres not proceed.
Councillor Clarke moved that Recommendation B of the
Administrative Report of November 28, 1995, be adopted as it appears
in that Report. The resolution LOST with Councillors Bellamy,
Chiavario and Price opposed.
Clause No. 1 Continued
Councillor Chiavario put a revised version of Recommenda-tion B
before the Commission as motions B and C. Councillor Chiavario's
motions CARRIED. The Commission, therefore,
RESOLVED
B. THAT 57th Avenue between Oak and Granville be
reconstructed with one lane each way for a 10.0 metre-
width pavement, with no curbs, the place-ment and
marking of bicycle lanes to be discussed with the
Bicycle Advisory Committee, and with a total estimated
cost of $350,000, funded by the Streets Basic Capital
Accounts 13/32/1011/999 ($250,000) and 12/31/9801/999
($100,000).
C. THAT the Engineering Services Department inform all
property holders on 57th Avenue between Oak and
Granville that they may, at any time, on a block-by-
block basis, petition the City for the installation of
curbs and that at such time as a petition is issued, a
range of widths be discussed with the residents for
resolution at the Court of Revision.
2. Discussion with BC Transit File: 5551-2
Councillor Chiavario stated that representatives of BC Transit
had been invited to address the Commission on matters related to
present and future services provided to Vancouver.
Mr. Brian Sagman, Superintendent, Customer Services and Mr. Terry
Naurm, Transit Planner for BC Transit, were welcomed by the
Commission.
Councillor Chiavario told the BC Transit representatives that
some Vancouver Eastside residents who normally board downtown-bound
buses at the Park 'N Ride have expressed fears that their buses are to
be phased out by plans to funnel all east-west transit passengers into
link-ups with the West Coast Express. If such were the case, she
suggested, many residents of eastern parts of Vancouver and western
parts of Burnaby would be so inconvenienced that they would drive
downtown instead, thus increasing the City's automobile problems
rather than relieving them.
Clause No. 2 Continued
The Transit representatives denied there is any plan to redirect
east Vancouver passengers onto the west Coast Express. They pointed
out, however, that the downtown buses from the Park 'N Ride average a
ridership of about 25, hardly enough to justify such a service.
Moreover, they noted that service is only available for a short time
during the day. They said that instead of a reduction in buses, there
will be a new express service, running throughout the day with a
modified schedule of stops and pick-ups.
The Commission then asked about various areas of Vancouver that
are perceived as being under-served by transit, most particularly the
new major public buildings and population centre in Downtown South.
The Transit representatives said the needs of Downtown South are
being considered in a 5-year plan of service. Transit serving North
Burnaby will funnel buses into the downtown area and my provide
service to the Yaletown area. They could not specify a date for the
beginning of this service.
Councillor Price suggested the need for a short-range circular
route serving the downtown area exclusively, particularly in the
Yaletown District.
Councillor Clarke said there is a growing feeling in Vancouver
that existing routes do not work as well as they should. The mesh
between places of residence and destinations is not as good as it
ought to be.
Councillor Chiavario requested that BC Transit send a letter
either to the Traffic Commission or the Engineering Services
Department explaining in detail any forthcoming changes in transit
service affecting Park 'N Ride passengers. The transit
representatives agreed to do so.
The Commission and the transit representatives agreed that BC
Transit staff and City staff members work together constructively on
modifying transit routes.
Clause No. 2 Continued
After some discussion BC Transit's information gathering
procedures and agreement from the transit representatives to keep the
City informed of BC Transit's activities, the following motion was put
by Councillor Chiavario and CARRIED. The Commission, therefore,
RESOLVED
THAT Council be advised by BC Transit whenever that
organization intends to survey the people of Vancouver on
matters related to public transit.
3. Queen Alexandra School File: 5761-3/5762-5
Councillor Chiavario referred to an Administrative Report from
the General Manager of Engineering Services dated November 27, 1995,
regarding Traffic Issues, Clark drive and Broadway, Queen Alexandra
School (on file). She stated that she had come to this Commission
meeting directly from a meeting at Queen Alexandra School. She
requested that this Commission meet with the principal and a small
consultative community, the core decision-makers for the school.
In the ensuing discussion, Commission members commented that such
a meeting at this time was not consistent with normal procedure. A
member stated such a meeting should first be handled at staff level
and that this Commission should deal with recommendations arising out
of that meeting.
Councillor Chiavario said traffic issues had been in question at
Queen Alexandra School for a long time. She requested that if normal
procedures are to be followed, they begin at the earliest possible
moment and that they be carried out quickly.
The General Manager, Engineering Services, said he would see to
it that staff work begins on this matter immediately and the principal
of the school be so informed.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 10:05 p.m.
* * * * *