ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: June 22, 2001
Author/Local: W. Pledger/7346

RTS No. 2153

CC File No. 5757

T&T: July 31, 2001

TO:	Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of City Plans
SUBJECT:	Grandview Highway North - Greenway/Bikeway Planning

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve the traffic calming plan for Grandview Highway North between Victoria and Clark drives for permanent construction as outlined in this report.

B. THAT Council approve $30,000 from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account No. 30000134 (City Greenway) for temporary staff to design and conduct public consultation of the Central Valley Greenway/bikeway on Grandview Highway North between Commercial and Clark drives.

C. THAT staff continue to work with residents and the Rapid Transit Project 2000 on the Central Valley Greenway/Bikeway between Victoria and Clark drives and report back.

COUNCIL POLICY

On July 18, 1995, Council adopted the Vancouver Greenways Plan, which identified the Grandview Cut corridor for future Greenway development.

The City of Vancouver Transportation Plan, approved by Council on May 27, 1997, identified Grandview Highway North from Clark Drive to Victoria as having potential for increased priority for pedestrians, cycling and transit.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to recommend a traffic calming plan for Grandview Highway North that will form part of the new Greenway/bikeway that is being developed as part of the Millennium SkyTrain Line. As well, the report recommends approval of additional City funding to complete the design and public process leading to a final report back on the design and remaining City cost to complete the Greenway/bikeway.

BACKGROUND

The City has been working with Rapid Transit Project 2000 Ltd. (RTPO) on the planning and design of the Millennium SkyTrain Line within Vancouver.

On December 15, 1999, TransLink approved the deletion of Grandview Highway North from the Vancouver truck route network following a Council recommendation of October 5, 1999.

On February 1, 2000, Council approved construction of a Greenway/bikeway on Grandview Highway North as part of an amenity package the Province will be providing the City.

On March 14, 2000, Council approved a traffic calming plan for Grandview Highway North from Slocan Street to Victoria Drive as part of the Greenway/bikeway. The Province is designing the landscaping elements of this portion of the Greenway/bikeway and is scheduled to begin construction of the traffic calming and landscaping elements this Fall.

DISCUSSION

Traffic calming elements remain to be approved by Council for Grandview Highway North between Clark Drive and Broadway/Victoria. This remaining portion can be divided into two sections as follows:

1. Between Victoria and Commercial, the Province is committed to design and construct the Greenway/Bikeway. See Appendix `A' for the recommended traffic calming design.

2. Between Commercial and Clark, the City is responsible for the design and construction of the Greenway/bikeway with a $300 000 contribution from the Province as part of the Amenity Package. A traffic calming plan will be presented when Council considers this report.

The intent of traffic calming along this section is to exclude trucks from entering at either end, and by virtue of this design, discourage, but not exclude other through traffic. In addition, to further control speeds along the street and provide additional area for Greenway landscaping, the street will be narrowed in places by removing the parking lane. As well, a much-improved cycling environment will be provided through the elimination of trucks, a reduction in the volume and speed of general traffic, and the provision of painted bike lanes.

This balanced accommodation of improving the cycling and pedestrian environment but still accommodating some through traffic recognizes that Grandview Highway North in this area must continue to function as an integral part of the street system. Broadway cannot accommodate an increase in traffic; it is especially important to minimize traffic increases at Broadway and Commercial where there will be many more buses turning through this intersection once the Millennium SkyTrain line opens.

As well, it also recognizes that further restrictions on Grandview Highway North could result in some through traffic diverting through the residential area to the north on either side of Commercial Drive and around Grandview Elementary School at Woodland Drive.

West of Clark Drive

Staff is still exploring options between Clark Drive and the False Creek flats. A consultant study is underway on the feasibility and cost of a bridge structure. This consultancy is also exploring the feasibility of a ramp option on the south side of the Grandview Cut. Staff will be reporting to Council on the results of this study.

CONSULTATION

Traffic Calming between Commercial and Clark

Two public meetings were held in the neighbourhood to discuss traffic calming in this area: one at the Grandview Elementary School on September 26, 2000 and another at Queen Alexandra Elementary School on November 30, 2000, as part of a forum on Greenway options west of Commercial Drive. In addition, there were meetings with representatives of the Vancouver School Board and Grandview Elementary School to discuss their proposal to close Grandview Highway North at the school from Woodland to McLean, to allow for an expansion of teaching and gardening facilities.

A number of residents and school representatives felt there should be more diversionary elements along the street to eliminate through traffic. However, after discussing the potential impacts, they agreed they could support keeping Grandview Highway North open to non-local traffic rather than risk short cutting through the residential neighbourhood and around the school.

Traffic Calming between Victoria and Commercial

A number of meetings were held with nearby residents to discuss traffic calming along this section of Grandview Highway North, as well as TransLink's proposal for a crew room/washroom for their bus drivers.

The initial design of the Greenway/bikeway included a major traffic calming element at Broadway to reduce westbound through traffic and to physically prevent trucks from turning onto Grandview Highway. The Greenway/bikeway was shown on the south side of Grandview Highway North.

The neighbours wanted the Greenway to help address the impact of buses on Grandview Highway North. They also wanted to resolve the continuing eastbound shortcutting problem that exists in the lane south of 8^th Avenue. As well, they raised the closure of Grandview Highway North westbound at Broadway to eliminate through traffic.

These discussions resulted in adding a median to eliminate shortcutting traffic in the lane and creating a wide boulevard on the north side of Grandview (moving the Greenway across the street) to accommodate a more substantial landscaping buffer between the residents and the buses. Staff was not supportive of the complete closure of Grandview Highway North due to the impacts this would have on the Broadway/Commercial intersection and the potential for increased traffic in the neighbourhood to the north.

A number of options for the TransLink crew facility were reviewed and discarded. The residents recognized the need for a facility given the lack of nearby options. Following these discussions, the crew facility will be a small building south of Grandview Highway and east of Commercial Drive.

Additional Consultation

Additional consultation with local residents will be undertaken in both sections to review the landscape elements of the Greenway/bikeway.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION

The Greenway/bikeway work between Victoria and Commercial is fully funded by the Rapid Transit Project.

The section between Commercial and Clark is not. The Access Agreement provides
$300 000 that may be applied:

· To improvements to the Greenway/Bikeway from Commercial Drive west; or
· To other improvements under the existing SkyTrain guideway between 10^th and 12^th Avenues; or
· To other Greenway connections between Commercial and Clark.

Staff concludes that the $300 000 Provincial contribution should be spent improving the cyclist and pedestrian connections between Commercial and Clark. However, this will likely not fund all the Greenway/bikeway improvements. Following public consultation on the Greenway/bikeway design, staff will report back on the additional City funding required to complete and maintain the work.

Staff recommends that Council approve $30,000 from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account No. 3000134 (City Greenway) for public consultation and design of the Central Valley Greenway/bikeway on Grandview Highway North between Commercial and Clark (See Recommendation B).

CONCLUSION

The public has been consulted on the traffic calming elements of the Greenway/bikeway between Victoria and Clark and is supportive of the proposed work. Staff recommends that Council approve the street design concepts to a permanent standard. Further discussions with the community will be undertaken on the design of the Greenway/bikeway. Staff will then report back on the final design, and on the necessary City funds to complete the western segment from Commercial Drive to Clark Drive.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver