SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 4
P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
JULY 20, 1995
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 28, 1995
TO: Planning and Environment Committee
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Barnet-Hastings People-Moving Project/Left Turn Bays on
Hastings at Boundary
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council approve the dedication of a peak period peak direction
HOV lane (Bus, 2 or more occupant vehicle, bicycle) on Hastings
Street between Renfrew and Boundary with signage to be funded by
the Province.
B. THAT Council approve the construction of left turn bays on Hastings
at Boundary and on Boundary (south to east) as described in this
report, with funding from the Provincial Government.
COUNCIL POLICY
The Clouds of Change Report supports the encouragement of higher
occupancy vehicles (HOV'S) to reduce air pollution, and directs the
dedication of lanes to HOV'S. See recommendations #9, #12 and #13.
Transportation priorities emphasize modes of walking, cycling, and
transit over automobiles.
Left turn bays on Hastings at Boundary were part of the Hastings Sunrise
Plan adopted by Council in 1985. Council in 1993 established a building
line on the north side of Hastings to permit left turn bay construction.
Council supported the GVRD Transport 2021 document on March 29, 1994
that includes a high-occupancy-vehicle lane network, of which
Barnet/Hastings is an element.
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BACKGROUND
In 1990 the Province announced a new people-moving project that would
connect Coquitlam, Port Moody, Burnaby and Vancouver with an upgraded
transit service utilizing articulated buses. (See Figure 1). To
enhance the operation of this service an upgrading of Barnet Highway and
Hastings was planned so that High-Occupancy-Vehicle (HOV) Lanes could be
provided during peak periods.
The people-moving concept placed an emphasis on utilizing transit and
carpools to transport people instead of single-occupant vehicles.
This project is supported in the GVRD Transport 2021 document, which was
approved in principle by Council in March 1994.
DISCUSSION
The High-Occupancy-Vehicle Lane
The HOV lane scheduled to start September 1996, through the
Barnet/Hastings Corridor, will provide priority treatment to buses,
vehicles with two or more people, and bicycles, to serve Coquitlam, Port
Moody, Burnaby and Vancouver. After study, the consultants determined
that two-person carpools would give sufficient lane usage, and assist in
enforcement. This service will operate in the right curb lane on both
Barnet Highway and Hastings Street. In Vancouver, the right curb lanes
are already cleared of parking in the peak periods so there will be no
change in regulations that would affect abutting properties. The
vehicle composition in the curb lanes will change from a mix of
vehicles, primarily buses, to buses, carpools and bicycles only; the
number of vehicles in each lane will be similar to the existing
conditions.
There is heavy volume of westbound right turns from Hastings to Cassiar
in the morning peak period; therefore, the curb lane from Skeena to
Cassiar will permit right turns. At other intersections right turns
will be allowed to enter the lane immediately prior to the intersection.
Of the high-occupant vehicles entering the system in east Burnaby in the
morning, only 30% travel beyond Cassiar, the originally identified
termination point. (See Figure 2). However, it is possible to carry
this lane to Renfrew without adverse effects. In the section between
Cassiar and Renfrew there are few local bus stops and private driveways
to conflict with an HOV lane.
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West of Renfrew, street conditions are substantially different. Local
bus stops are more frequent and dwell times at each are longer.
Abutting land use is more intense with drive-ways and potential for
loading activities that could interfere with the new HOV lane. Also,
bus volumes are higher and even now express
buses are using the second lane to pass local bus service. Encouraging
carpools to use the curb lane could be detrimental to buses, which is
contrary to Council's adopted guidelines on HOV lanes. Therefore, it is
recommended that the carpool lane end at Renfrew. (See Figure 3). Any
further extension should be examined in the context of the Transit
Priorities report, to be reviewed shortly.
Hastings at Boundary Intersection
Painted left turn bays (See Figure 4) are proposed to facilitate the
operation of the HOV lane, an important regional transportation
improvement. Additionally, safety benefits in reduction of accident
numbers and improvement in access to the Vancouver and Boundary Heights
Communities will result from these design changes.
This intersection of two arterial streets, Hastings Street and Boundary
Road, is in an area with significant grades especially on Boundary Road.
Property abutting the intersection is developed to the property lines.
These features make design of the intersection difficult.
The proposed design for left turn bays on Hastings Street, displayed in
Figure 4, achieves a curb lane width of 3.5 metres, just under the
bicycle curb lane width of 3.7 metres. Council has approved a new
higher standard of 4.3 metres for curb lanes; unfortunately, this
standard can not be met at this location without property acquisition
and building demolition. The Adanac Bicycle Route parallels Hastings
four blocks to the south, and provides a comfortable and convenient
alternative route for cyclists.
This design has narrower sidewalks, at 2.0 to 2.3 metres on Hastings,
compared with the usual width in this area of 3.0 metres. The Province
has agreed to participate in the funding of a design that provides wider
curb lanes and sidewalks when property becomes available (see Appendix
A).
In order to promote safety and to assist the overall operation of the
intersection for transit and high occupancy vehicles, a left- turn bay
for southbound Boundary traffic is also proposed.
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Public Notification
Project signs were installed at the intersection on June 5, 1995.
Letters were circulated to all abutting businesses in the affected area.
One call was received for information. The project has been discussed
with the community and has broad support.
Conclusions
In conclusion, H.O.V. lanes should be implemented from Boundary Road to
Renfrew, along with left turn lanes on Hastings at Boundary, and south
bound Boundary at Hastings.
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