LATE DISTRIBUTION
FOR COUNCIL APRIL 2, 1996
MOTION 1(i)
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: April 2, 1996
Dept. File No. 120 616 5000
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Burrard Street Bridge Upgrade
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the funding in the amount of $50,000 in Streets Basic Capital
Unallocated Account No. 12/01/1817/999 - (Burrard, Pacific Blvd.,
& Bridge) be released for a program of trial cycling use on
Burrard Bridge over the Summer of 1996.
COMMENTS OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF ENGINEERING SERVICES
The above recommendation is put forward to support the motion
tabled at the last Council meeting. If the motions are approved,
it is intended that a trial program for cycling would be designed,
implemented and monitored in consultation with the Bicycle and
Burrard Bridge Advisory Committees. Following an evaluation of
the results, a report on the various options and impacts would be
submitted to Council.
COUNCIL POLICY
This project is part of the approved 1994-1996 Capital Plan.
PURPOSE
On March 26, 1996, a notice of motion was introduced at Council to
defer a decision on Burrard Bridge, institute trials over the next six
months, and address problems on the north shore of False Creek and
English Bay. The purpose of this report is to advise briefly on the
status of these issues, and to recommend a source of funding to
implement a trial program.
BACKGROUND
A comprehensive planning and public consultation process was started in
the Fall of 1994 to develop options that:
improve conditions on the Burrard Street Bridge and connecting
roadways for cyclists and pedestrians:
consider the needs of in-line skaters,
improve safety for northbound vehicles from the Bridge to Hornby
Street; and,
remove the through traffic from Hornby south of Pacific and Beach
Avenue.
- Over the same time period, staff have worked with the Park Board
staff and the consultant to address the connection along English
Bay to Stanley Park.
A staff steering committee and an advisory committee of 22 interest
groups associated with the Bridge have been meeting throughout the
planning and consultation period. Two options that were presented to
Council on September 12, 1995, and that have been publicly discussed
for several months, are illustrated in Appendix A. Public feedback
over this time has been low, and there was not a strong consensus on a
particular option. An Angus Reid public survey (see Appendix B),
conducted on the telephone and in person, showed strong support for the
option which extends the sidewalks outward, and connects to Hornby
Street. The study process is now complete, the Advisory Group has
essentially completed its work, and the results can be made available
to Council shortly.
ISSUES ADDRESSED IN THE MOTION OF MARCH 26, 1996
a. THE CONSENSUS: The Advisory Group represented a wide variety of
interests and did not reach a consensus. Public response via open
houses, telephone "hot-line", letters and the Internet was
limited, and was also mixed. However, the public survey clearly
supported the option which extends the sidewalks outward and
connects Burrard Bridge northbound to Hornby Street.
b. EFFECTS OF OPTIONS: Information is available on effects of the
options and will be included in the Council report.
c. NORTH SHORE SEAWALL: Designs for an enhanced bicycle route for
Beach Avenue/English Bay have been prepared and are now in the
public consultation stage. A firm proposal could be ready for
review by Council and Park Board prior to this Summer.
d. ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The Advisory Committee has now essentially
completed its work. Prior to completing its studies, the
committee did elaborate on a "status quo" option that would
include modifications to the existing bridge deck, including
experiments (see Appendix C).
e. TRIALS: A series of trial programs for cyclists on the Bridge
could be developed in consultation with the two advisory
committees. These trial applications would be monitored and would
be included in a final report on Bridge options.
These programs would have funding implications that have not been
determined at this time; however, as a rough estimate, a series of
experiments over the Summer could cost in the order of $50,000,
including some temporary staff to monitor and ensure public safety. As
part of the 1991 Streets Capital Budget, Council allocated $200,000 to
design a connection between Burrard Bridge and Hornby Street. These
funds have not been spent, and could be released for use in these trial
programs. At such time as the final design proceeds, additional
funding would be required to replace these funds.
* * * * *