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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
June 30, 2004 | |
Author: |
Peter Stary | |
Phone No.: |
604-871-6437 | |
RTS No.: |
4342 | |
CC File No.: |
5761 | |
Meeting Date: |
July 22, 2004 |
TO: |
Standing Committee on Planning and Environment |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services |
SUBJECT: |
Cyclist Push Buttons for Existing Pedestrian Signals, 2004 Program |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the installation of cyclist buttons at 12 selected pedestrian activated signals as described in this report at a total cost of $66,000, with $24,000 provided by ICBC and $21,000 provided by the Translink Bicycle Infrastructure Capital Cost Sharing Program
B. THAT funding of the City’s share of $21,000 for this project be provided from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account Group CB2EA2EX1 - Bicycle Network (order # 30006969).
COUNCIL POLICY
The Vancouver Transportation Plan emphasizes the need to promote bicycling by providing more facilities for cyclists, including connections to neighbourhood centres, and identifies cycling as a high transportation priority second only to walking.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek Council's approval to install cyclist push buttons at selected existing pedestrian signals.
BACKGROUND
Cyclist push buttons are located close to the curb so that cyclists can easily activate pedestrian signals. They have been a feature of Vancouver’s local street bikeways for the last eleven years. In a 1999 survey of Vancouver bikeway users this feature was the second most popular, after only traffic calming. The City has received a number of requests from the public for more cyclist buttons at locations that are not on designated bikeways.
Many pedestrian activated signals installed in the late 1990s and all pedestrian activated signals installed since 1999 have included cyclist buttons as part of each project. However, unless located on a designated bikeway, older pedestrian activated signals typically do not have cyclist buttons.
DISCUSSION
Presently in Vancouver there are 125 pedestrian activated signals that do not have cyclist buttons. Based on requests from the public and a staff review twelve locations have been identified as the top priorities for cyclist buttons. Some of these are on what could be termed informal bike routes - local streets that haven=t been developed as designated bikeways but are used by cyclists as alternatives to the arterial street system. Others give access to destinations such as shopping and community centres or provide links to existing bikeways.
Six of the proposed locations are in the West End and respond to Recommendation BK5 of the Downtown Transportation Plan: Create bicycle friendly streets along all local streets within the downtown (peninsula).
A list of recommended locations as well as a list of other locations considered is included in Appendix A.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The total cost of installing cyclist buttons at 12 intersections is estimated at $66,000. Funding of $2,000 per intersection for a total of $24,000 is available from ICBC. Funding in the amount of $21,000, representing half of the remaining cost of $42,000, is available from Translink=s Bicycle Infrastructure Capital Cost Sharing Program. It is recommended that funding for the outstanding $21,000 for this project be provided from the Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account Group CB2EA2EX1 - Bicycle Network (order # 30006969).
CONCLUSION
Installing bicycle buttons at existing pedestrian activated signals is a cost-effective way to enhance opportunities for cycling around the City and should encourage more citizens to choose cycling for transportation around their neighbourhoods.
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