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REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

JULY 04, 2000

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Transportation and Traffic was held on Tuesday, July 04, 2000, at 9:30 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:	Councillor Jennifer Clarke, Chair Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Fred Bass Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Sandy McCormick Councillor Gordon Price, Vice-Chair Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Sick Leave)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Judy Rogers, City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Hazel Hoyle, Meeting Coordinator

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meeting of June 13, 2000, were adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

1. Arbutus East Traffic Plan and Cypress Bikeway File: 5757

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated June 15, 2000, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services recommended approval to make three existingright-in/right-out traffic diverters, installed on a trial basis as part of the Arbutus East Traffic Plan and the Cypress Bikeway, permanent.

Peter Stary, Neighbourhood Transportation presented an overview of the report and along with Ian Adam, Assistant City Engineer, responded to questions regarding the problems that this proposal will resolve and the process the City used to implement and monitor the temporary diverters.

The following motion by Cllr. Louis was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A. THAT the temporary right-in/right-out diverters on Cypress Street at Broadway, on Cypress Street at 16th Avenue and on Maple Street at 12th Avenue be made permanent; and

B. THAT effective year 2001, the Traffic Operations maintenance budget be increased by $100.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

2. Update: Transportation Plan Major Initiatives File: 5560

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated June 15, 2000, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of City Plans provided an update on the status of Transportation Plan Major Initiatives and gave a summary of City and regional transportation assets.

Don Klimchuk, Transportation Monitoring Engineer, presented an overview of the report and along with Ian Adam, Assistant City Engineer, Dave Rudberg, General Manager -Engineering Services and Brian Riera, Planner, responded to questions regarding the status of the major initiatives broken down into eight categories in the Administrative Report.

The following speakers voiced their perspectives regarding the Transporation Plan Major Initiatives:

· Liz Haan (brief filed)

· Bev Ballantyne

· Norm Couttie (brief filed)
· Doreen Godwin

The following is a brief summary of comments put forward by the delegations:

· Staff failed to report back early in 1998 on options, timing and resources required to carry out the transportation plan as was stipulated in a recommendation passed by Council on December 09, 1997 pertaining to the Vancouver Transportation Plan -Review of Action Items Scheduled for Completion Within Three Years.

· The Administrative Report identifies many initiatives as being completed, but provides no evidence of such completion.

· The Administrative Report does not offer commitments or deadlines to finalize incompleted initiatives.

· The progress of the initiatives are monitored and reported by the same departments; this is a conflict of interest.

· The community surrounding Bleinheim Street would like the Road Network Initiatives to consider the speed and safety at school zones and crossings in their area as a priority. This is a major concern for the community and they do not want the roads to be repaved unless speedbumps are implemented into the design.

In response to discussion between Council, staff and the delegations, the General Manager of Engineering Services advised Council that staff would report back with a more detailed update on the Transportation Plan Major Initiatives, defining the status of the eight categories more clearly.

The following motion by Councillor Bass was put and lost.

THAT staff be requested to revise the Administrative Report in terms of the transportation planning components, priorities, resources and required timelines;

THAT the revised report be posted on the website; and

THAT a Public Hearing be scheduled in the evening for public response to the annual transportation report update.

- LOST

(Councillors Clarke, Daniel Lee, Don Lee, McCormick,
Price, Puil, Sullivan and Mayor Owen opposed)

The following motion by Cllr. Price was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A. THAT the Administrative Report dated June 15, 2000 be received for information; and

B. THAT staff report back with a revised report that provides a more detailed summary of the status of the Transportation Plan Major Initiatives.

- CARRIED

(Councillors Louis and Bass opposed)

3. Sidewalk Task Force File: 5701

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated May 24, 2000, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of Finance recommended approval of the terms of reference for a Task Force to address the safety, comfort and convenience of pedestrians within the City of Vancouver primarily focussing on city sidewalks and pathways.

Ian Adam, Assistant City Engineer, Transportation presented an overview of the Administrative Report and explained that recommendations A, B and C would focus the Task Force on city sidewalk and pathway issues and that recommendation D would expand the terms of reference to include traffic safety issues.

The following speakers voiced their perspectives regarding the recommendations:

· Bev Ballantyne

· Scott Nelson

The following is a brief summary of comments put forward by the delegations:

· The focus of the task force should be for traffic-related pedestrian safety.

· Changing the focus of the task force to that of resolving problems with sidewalk clutter and obstacles trivializes the seriousness of issues which require attention;primarily saving lives.

· Some potential solutions to the pedestrian safety issues include installation of corner bulges in appropriate locations and elimination of right-hand turn lanes.

The following motion by Cllr. McCormick was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A. THAT a Sidewalk Task Force be created as described in Appendix A of the Administrative Report dated May 24, 2000;

B. THAT funding for expenses and temporary staff be created with funding of $30,000 provided from the Contingency reserve; and

C. THAT the Mayor appoint two Councillor Liaisons to the Task Force.

- CARRIED

(Councillors Louis and Bass opposed)

The following motion by Cllr Louis was put and lost.

D. THAT Council strike a Pedestrian Safety Task Force comprised of representatives from Police, Traffic and Engineering, the Vancouver Richmond Health Board, ICBC and interested members of the community, to consult with the public and report back to Council on measures that can be taken to improve pedestrian safety; and

E. THAT Council appoint an ongoing Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee made up of members of the general public, interested community groups, Police, ICBC, Traffic and Engineering, and the Vancouver Richmond Health Board, to advise on issues of pedestrian safety.

- LOST

(Councillors Clarke, Daniel Lee, Don Lee, McCormick,
Price, Puil, Sullivan and Mayor Owen opposed)

4. Marine Drive at Cambie - Accident Reduction Strategy File: 5761-1

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report, dated June 05, 2000, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services recommended approval of proposed work at Cambie Street and Marine Drive to address a significant accident problem.

The following motion by Cllr. Don Lee was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A. THAT Council approve proceeding with the signal changes and lane re-designation as outlined in the Administrative Report dated June 05, 2000 and shown in Appendix A of the report, source of funds to be 50% TransLink and the remaining 50% ($125,000) to be provided from the 2000 Capital Plan; and

B. THAT staff continue to monitor safety and operating conditions and report back if further remedial measures are indicated.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Committee adjourned at 12:10 p.m.

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CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
STANDING COMMITEE OF COUNCIL ON
TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

JULY 04, 2000

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, July 04, 2000, in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.

PRESENT:	Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Fred Bass Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Tim Louis Councillor Sandy McCormick Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Sick Leave)
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE:	Judy Rogers, City Manager
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:	Hazel Hoyle, Meeting Coordinator

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,
SECONDED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the chair.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
July 04, 2000

Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the attached report:

Cl.1: Arbutus East Traffic Plan and Cypress Bikeway

Cl.2: Update: Transportation Plan Major Initiatives
Cl.3: Sidewalk Task Force
Cl.4: Marine Drive at Cambie - Accident Reduction Strategy

Clause 1
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause 1 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Clauses 2 and 3
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 2 and 3 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED

(Councillors Bass and Louis opposed)

Clause 4
MOVED by Cllr. Clarke,

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clause 4 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Don Lee,
SECONDED by Cllr. Daniel Lee,

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 12:15 p.m.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver