ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: April 25, 2000
Author/Local: P. Pinsker/7917
RTS No. 01462
CC File No. 5702

Council: May 16, 2000

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Traffic Signal Changes At Boundary/Vanness and Boundary/Burke

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT the conversion of the pedestrian/bicycle/bus activated signal at the Boundary/Vanness (South) intersection be approved in principle, with funding to be reported in the next Annual Traffic Signal Program.

B. THAT the pedestrian signal proposed by the City of Burnaby for the Boundary/Burke intersection be approved in principle, with funding to be reported in the next Annual Traffic Signal Program.

COUNCIL POLICY

Relevant Council policy includes:

· Signals are approved by City Council.
· Along Boundary Road, signals must be approved by the City Councils of both Vancouver and Burnaby, with cost-sharing per a standing agreement.

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

This report seeks support to bring to a conclusion long-standing efforts to achieve a traffic signal at the intersection of Boundary Road and Vanness Avenue (South) to serve not only pedestrians, bicycles, and transit, but also the vehicular access needs of Collingwood Village.

BACKGROUND

As part of the rezoning of the Joyce/Vanness Industrial Area to create Collingwood Village, consultants and staff studied traffic impacts in 1992 and determined the need for a trafficsignal at the intersection of Vanness Avenue (South) and Boundary Road. This signal was approved by Council in 1993. Burnaby's Council, citing various concerns, subsequently would only agree to a signal actuated by pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit, with a restriction against general traffic turning left onto Boundary. City Council consented to Burnaby's limited approval, and the signalization and lane controls were installed in 1997. Because the left turn lane from Vanness to Boundary is reserved for transit vehicles and left turns are not permitted from the other lane, residents lost their ability to turn left legally at Boundary.

Continued development at Collingwood Village has increased pressures to provide signalized access from Vanness to northbound Boundary. In 1998, during a period of construction when the left turns were not prohibited, staff documented that the numbers of Vanness vehicles using Burke Avenue in Burnaby was minor (contrary to a fear of Burnaby that this would become a heavy through traffic route). With this information, staff once again approached Burnaby City Council in an attempt to reconsider its restrictions at Vanness. Meanwhile, Burnaby was seeking installation of a pedestrian signal at the Boundary/Burke intersection. Thus, Burnaby Council requested a report back on both locations.

After a review of traffic conditions on Boundary, traffic using Burke, safety, projected growth due to Collingwood Village and other factors, and impacts to transit from changes to signals, staff from both cities were in agreement that the Vanness signal should be upgraded to a standard signal. As well, the pedestrian signal at Burke is supported by all parties. Community support for these measures is also very strong. On April 12, 2000, Burnaby's Traffic and Transportation Committee approved the full signalization of the intersection of Boundary and Vanness, provided the City of Vancouver support the installation of a pedestrian signal at Boundary and Burke. Thus, it is recommended by staff that these signal works be undertaken as part of the year 2000 Annual Traffic Signal Program, with funding (to be reported separately) per the standard arrangements between the two cities and TransLink.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver