Agenda Index City of Vancouver

5

REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
ON TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

APRIL 30, 2002

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Transportation and Traffic was held on Tuesday, April 30, 2002, at 9:00 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 (Civic Business)

 

CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE:

Judy Rogers, City Manager

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:

Tina Hildebrandt, Meeting Coordinator

* Denotes presence for a portion of the meeting.

 

VARY AGENDA

The Committee agreed to vary the order of the agenda in order to deal with Item 5 first. For clarity, the items are minuted sequentially.

RECOMMENDATION

1. Granville Street (and Granville Mall) between Drake and Cordova (File 8108)

The Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic, at its meeting on April 23, 2002, began hearing from speakers on this item. Due to time constraints, it was agreed to continue hearing speakers at this meeting.

The Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic also requested staff and representatives from TransLink to provide further information regarding the impacts of reintroducing traffic to Granville Mall. Accordingly, the Committee had before it a memo from Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Services, and Larry Beasley, Director of Current Planning, as well as a letter from Glen Leicester, Manager, Implementation Planning, TransLink, both dated April 29, 2002 (on file).

The following speakers were in favour of the recommendations:

A summary of speakers' comments follows:

· consider making Granville Street the focal point of the Downtown by creating a promenade for people with gardens and cafes;
· consider shutting it down occasionally for special events;
· having the second highest rents in the Downtown Core and flourishing businesses, Granville Mall is not "dead"; it needs coordination and a vision;
· residents and the broader public should be consulted about any significant changes to the public realm on Granville Street;
· stakeholders aren't just commercial property owners but homeowners/residents in area as well; more collaboration will guarantee the success of ebb and flow.

The following speakers were opposed to the recommendations:

A summary of speakers' comments follows:

· reintroducing traffic to Granville Mall will attract business and give it the vibrancy and consistency that Robson Street enjoys;
· the study seems to be based on transportation issues only, not on the street which feels uninviting and unsafe; staff are rearranging deck chairs on this "Titanic";
· staff's presentation of Granville Mall did not reflect the real issue of Granville Street Downtown which is a disgrace; a detailed comprehensive plan is needed to revitalize the whole street for all users and not just address transit issues;
· the plan put forward won't necessarily solve the current congestion issues in Granville Mall;
· recommend Council delay decision and develop an economic model first then make sure the transportation model complements it;
· commission a study involving a broader range of stakeholders including the City of Vancouver, TransLink and the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association to devise a system that pleases all parties;
· even without the introduction of traffic in Granville Mall, it will require some kind of widening to accommodate the growth in transit and service vehicles; encourage Council to carefully consider the issue of mixed traffic in Granville Mall;
· open Granville Mall to everyone for enriched retail and restore it to its former glory; how can you reconcile the deplorable state of Granville Street with Vancouver's status as a "world class city"?.

MOVED by Councillor Puil
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT, due to time constraints, decision on the recommendations contained in the Administrative Report dated March 7, 2002, entitled "Granville Street (and Granville Mall) between Drake and Cordova", be referred to the Regular Council Meeting on May 14, 2002.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

INFORMATION

2. Update on Recent Regional Transportation Data (File 5560-0/5562)

This item was withdrawn and rescheduled for the Regular Council meeting held later that day.

RECOMMENDATION

3. Enhancements at Pedestrian Crossings (File 5702)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 15, 2002, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services sought Council's approval to construct pedestrian corner bulges and make geometric modifications as identified in the report.

Winston Chou, Traffic Management, Sgt. Garnet Salmond, Police Services, as well as Alison Wong and Paul Goodman, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, were present to respond to questions.

Bev Ballantyne spoke in favour of the recommendation generally, but expressed concern regarding driveway access at Broadway and MacDonald as well as West 4th Avenue and MacDonald.

Mr. Chou, together with Ian Adam, Assistant City Engineer, Transportation, responded to a question related to allocation of funding.

MOVED by Mayor Owen
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services be authorized to install corner bulges and make geometric modifications to enhance pedestrian crossing conditions at the locations outlined in the Administrative Report dated April 15, 2002, entitled "Enhancements at Pedestrian Crossings"; and

THAT funding of $280,000 be allocated from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Order Number 30000169 for bus bulges to fund the installation of the corner bulges and geometric modifications.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Puil absent for the vote)

4. 2002 Traffic Signal Program (File 5761)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 16, 2002, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services identified locations recommended for signal installations or modifications and the reasons for these recommendations.

Winston Chou, Traffic Management, Sgt. Garnet Salmond, Police Services, as well as Alison Wong and Paul Goodman, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, were present to respond to questions.

Bev Ballantyne spoke in favour of the recommendation generally, but expressed concern regarding the number of signal installations proposed and the ineffectiveness of special crosswalks on streets with four or more lanes.

Mr. Adam responded to questions regarding a possible review on the effectiveness of special crosswalks and locations for proposed signal installations.

MOVED by Councillor McCormick
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

THAT Council approve the 2002 Traffic Signal Program with funding of $1,163,000 provided in advance of the 2002 Street Basic Capital Budget, and that the General Manager of Engineering Services be authorized to install and modify pedestrian and traffic signals, as described in the Administrative Report dated April 16, 2002, entitled "2002 Traffic Signal Program"; and

FURTHER THAT additional annual costs of $33,500 related to ongoing maintenance be reflected in future Operating Budgets, subject to the 2003 budget review process.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Puil absent for the vote)

5. Kent Bikeway (File 5757)

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 12, 2002, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services sought Council's approval of and funding for the Kent Bikeway project.

Melina Scholefield, Strategic Transportation Planning, reviewed the report with the aid of a diagram. Ms. Scholefield, Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Services, and Ian Adam, Assistant City Engineer, Transportation, responded to questions regarding funding, traffic calming and possible use of Kent Avenue as an alternative to Marine Drive by motorists.

Bert Massiah spoke in favour of the recommendations generally, but expressed concern regarding the closure of the railroad crossing. In response, Ms. Scholefield confirmed staff do not recommend the closure.

MOVED by Mayor Owen
THAT the Committee recommend to Council

A. THAT the Kent Bikeway be approved as detailed in the Administrative Report dated April 12, 2002, entitled "Kent Bikeway".

B. THAT speed humps be installed in the 1700-1900 and 2200-2300 blocks of E. Kent Ave. North, subject to Council approval of the 2002 Residential Speed Hump Program.

C. THAT funding of $995,000 be provided for the implementation of the bike route, from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account Group SCA2E-UNAP (Bicycle Network), subject to approval of 2002 Streets Basic Capital Budget.

D. THAT commencing in 2003, the Signal Maintenance Budget ($3,500), the Streets Maintenance Budget ($1,500) and the Signs Maintenance Budget ($1,500) be increased , subject to the 2003 Operating Budget Review.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor McCormick absent for the vote)

The Committee adjourned at 12:10 p.m.

- - - - -

CITY OF VANCOUVER

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

APRIL 30, 2002

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, April 30, 2002, at 12:10 p.m., 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 Sam Sullivan

 

ABSENT:

Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Cive Business)
Councillor George Puil (Civic Business)

 

CITY MANAGER'S
OFFICE:

Judy Rogers, City Manager

CITY CLERK'S OFFICE:

Tina Hildebrandt, Meeting Coordinator

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Sullivan
SECONDED by Councillor McCormick

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
April 30, 2002

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

Clauses 1, 3, 4 and 5

MOVED by Councillor Clarke

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 1, 3, 4 and 5 of this report, be approved.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Clause 2

This item was withdrawn.

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Louis

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Councillor Daniel Lee
SECONDED by Councillor Bass

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 12:11 p.m.

* * * * *

tt020430.htm

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