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REPORT TO COUNCIL STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL
SEPTEMBER 14, 2004 |
A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Transportation and Traffic was held on Tuesday, September 14, 2004, at 9:30 a.m., in Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall.
PRESENT: |
Councillor Fred Bass, Chair
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ABSENT: |
Councillor David Cadman (Leave of Absence - Civic Business)
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CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Pat Boomhower, Meeting Coordinator |
* Denotes absence for a portion of the meeting.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meeting of June 8, 2004, were adopted.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Downtown Transportation Plan - Two-Way Street Conversion of Homer, Cambie, Georgia and Beatty Streets and Bike Lanes on Beatty Street (File 5560-1)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated August 31, 2004, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services, in consultation with the Director of Current Planning, sought Council's approval for funding to proceed with the conversion of Beatty Street, Cambie Street (south of Dunsmuir), Homer Street (south of Georgia) and Georgia Street (Beatty to Cambie) from one-way to two-way operation and the installation of bike lanes on Beatty Street as identified in the Downtown Transportation Plan.
Doug Louie, Downtown Transportation Engineer, reviewed the report and clarified that on page 3 under "Bike Lanes", City staff concluded that a 3.0 m wide traffic lane is sufficient for buses given the volume of traffic and the adjacent 1.5 m bike lane. He noted that this was a City staff conclusion and not necessarily that of TransLink. Mr. Louie also noted that there are a few outstanding transit issues being resolved in close discussions with TransLink; one of these include the deferral of two-waying Homer Street north of Georgia where a bus terminus exists and where a bike lane is desired. This will be brought back to Council once a resolution has been found.
Mr. Louie advised that staff are targeting mid-October for the conversions from one-way to two-way operations; however, he noted that the conversions may be delayed to next year. Mr. Louie also responded to questions regarding funding for bike lanes, bike lane markings which depend on parking regulations, and width of traffic lanes.
David Pritchard, Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (VACC), spoke in support of staff's recommendations and described VACC's involvement with the Engineering Department in the development of these bike lanes. Mr. Pritchard noted the remaining issue was with regard to striping to be used on the bike lanes and hoped that the bike lanes would be implemented this Fall.
MOVED by Councillor Louie
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council approve $580,000 for the modification of existing traffic signals, roadway geometrics and traffic regulations necessary for the conversion of Homer, Beatty, Cambie and Georgia Streets from one-way to two-way operation and the installation of bicycle lanes on Beatty Street, from the following sources:
· Funds remaining from the first phase of the two-way conversions in the amount of $105,000;
· Citywide DCL's allocated to Engineering and included in the 2004 Engineering Capital Budget for Downtown Transportation Plan Initiatives in the amount of $238,000;
· 2004 Streets Basic Capital Group CB2EA2EX1 (Bicycle Network) - 30006969 in the amount of $118,500; and
· Cost-shared funding contribution from Translink for the Beatty Street bike lanes in the amount of $118,500, subject to approval.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
(Councillor Sullivan absent for the vote)
2. 1900 Pender Street Traffic Calming Plan- Follow-Up (File 5757)
The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated July 17, 2004, in which the General Manager of Engineering Services sought Council's approval for the permanent installation/retention of the following traffic calming measures in the 1900 Pender Street neighbourhood (area bounded by Victoria Drive, Nanaimo Street, Hastings Street and Adanac Street:
· Half cul-de-sac at Pender St./Victoria Dr.
· Diagonal diverters at Semlin Dr./Ferndale St. and Semlin Dr./Georgia St.
· Full cul-de-sac at Lakewood Dr./Turner St.
· Metal bollards at the existing diagonal diverter at Lakewood Dr./Ferndale St.
· Traffic-calmed neighbourhood signs at the entrance points to the neighbourhood.
Jim Hall, Neighbourhood Transportation Engineer, reviewed the report and noted the traffic calming measures in the Downtown Transportation Plan of 2002 had been approved by Council on a trial basis and that follow-up data collected indicates traffic volume and speeding in the neighbourhood have been significantly reduced. As a result of responses from re-surveying residents in the area and concerns about plastic bollards at Lakewood Drive and Ferndale Street being abused (driven over), he noted staff recommended the need for these to be changed to steel removable bollards.
The following spoke in favour of staff's recommendations:
Michael Doyle, Macdonald Elementary School - Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Committee (materials distributed - on file)
Gladys Evoy, Macdonald Elementary School - Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
Debbie Krull, PAC, Vancouver Friendship Centre, Aboriginal Mothers' Centre and United Native Nations Local 111
Holly Paxton, Macdonald Elementary School
Shannon McMillan
Lance Balcom
A summary of speakers' comments follows:
· everyone had an opportunity to participate in the democratic process to address safety concerns of residents, students, parents and staff;
· the four traffic calming measures improved pedestrian and driver safety as well as made crosswalks guards' tasks more manageable, and improved access to and from the school for programs which take place throughout the day and evening, including during the summer;
· the measures divert prostitution traffic as well;
· acknowledged the importance of the Vancouver Police Safety Patrol program and the challenge of going from three to one Vancouver Safety Patrol Officer for all schools;
· people in the area want to protect their children;
· there is a high volume of pedestrian traffic in the area to the schools and the many day cares in the area;
· prior to the barriers, it was unsafe.
Mr. Millin See spoke in opposition to staff's recommendations and requested that the plan be brought back to the community for re-design. Mr. See described 2000 block of Ferndale Street as going from being a quiet residential street to having heavy traffic volume, speeding as a problem, pets have been hit on the road, and emergency vehicles are slowed when having to pull the poles up. He also spoke of increased traffic on the 2100 block of Ferndale Street.
Mr. Hall responded to questions regarding results of speed and rush hour traffic checks, signage, street access, permeable barriers and input from fire and ambulance services in proposed designs.
Shannon McMillan, mother of an eight year old girl who was seriously injured by a vehicle while in a crosswalk in 2003 on her way to Macdonald Elementary School, requested that something be done about crosswalks around Victoria Drive from Venables to Hastings Streets. She also expressed the need for drivers to slow down and pay attention to school zones in order to prevent accidents happening to students of Macdonald Elementary and St. Francis Schools.
In response to questions regarding potential pedestrian bulges, improving visibility of children and school crosswalks, Mr. Hall agreed that staff can monitor those intersections to see if something of a higher grade could be done.
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
THAT the Committee recommend to Council
THAT Council approve the permanent installation/retention of the traffic calming measures as detailed in the Administrative Report dated July 17, 2004, entitled "1900 Pender St. Traffic Calming Plan- Follow-Up".
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Committee adjourned at 10:15 a.m.
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CITY OF VANCOUVER REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 14, 2004 |
A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, September 14, 2004, at 10:15 a.m., in Council Chamber Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meeting, to consider the recommendations and actions of the Committee.
PRESENT: |
Mayor Larry Campbell
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ABSENT: |
Councillor David Cadman (Leave of Absence - Civic Business)
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CITY CLERK'S OFFICE: |
Pat Boomhower, Meeting Coordinator |
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Bass
THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Campbell in the Chair.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Report of Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
September 14, 2004
Council considered the report containing the recommendations and actions taken by the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic. Its items of business included:
1. Downtown Transportation Plan - Two-Way Street Conversion of Homer, Cambie,
Georgia and Beatty Streets and Bike Lanes on Beatty Street
2. 1900 Pender Street Traffic Calming Plan- Follow-Up
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
THAT the recommendations and actions taken by the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic at its meeting of September 14, 2004, as contained in Items 1 and 2, be approved.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Bass
THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Louie
THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
ENQUIRIES AND OTHER MATTERS
1. Leave of Absence - Councillor Louis (File 1254)
MOVED by Councillor Roberts
SECONDED by Councillor Bass
THAT Councillor Louis be granted Leave of Absence for Civic Business from the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting on September 16, 2004.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
2. Leave of Absence - Councillor Louie (File 1254)
MOVED by Councillor Stevenson
SECONDED by Councillor Roberts
THAT Councillor Louie be granted Leave of Absence for Civic Business for Thursday, October 7, 2004.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
3. Leave of Absence - Councillor Bass (File 1254)
MOVED by Councillor Louis
SECONDED by Councillor Roberts
THAT Councillor Bass be granted Leave of Absence for Thursday, October 7, 2004.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
The Council adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
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