SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 3
T&T COMMITTEE AGENDA
MARCH 25, 1997
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: February 28, 1997
Dept. File No. 2122-37
CC File No. 5553-1/8007-25
TO: Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services,
in consultation with the Director of Planning
and the General Manager of Parks & Recreation
SUBJECT: Waterfront Pedestrian/Bicycle Pathway Widths -
Coal Harbour, Bayshore and False Creek North Developments
RECOMMENDATION
THAT the widths of pedestrian and bicycle pathways in Coal Harbour,
Bayshore and False Creek North be revised as described in this
report and as shown in Appendices B, C and D.
COUNCIL POLICY
On October 18, 1994, Council approved the report, Waterfront
Pedestrian/Bicycle Route Design - Coal Harbour Phase 1A (Marina
Neighbourhood) which recommended approval of Marathon s design for the
waterfront route.
On June 16, 1994, Council approved the report, Waterfront
Pedestrian/Bicycle Route Design - False Creek North Area 2 (Roundhouse)
which recommended approval of Concord s design for the waterfront route.
On October 24, 1991, Council approved the report, Waterfront
Pedestrian/Bicycle Route Concept Plan - Bayshore, Marathon and False
Creek North Developments which recommended an approximate pedestrian
pathway width of 5.5 metres and bicycle pathway width of 3.7 metres.
PURPOSE
On June 29, 1995, Council requested that staff report back on relative
pedestrian/bicycle widths for the waterfront pathways in the Coal
Harbour, Bayshore and False Creek North developments. This report
recommends revised pedestrian and bicycle pathway widths for the
Quayside Neighbourhood, Beach Neighbourhood, Bayshore and Coal Harbour
developments.
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BACKGROUND
In October 1991, Council approved an overall waterfront
pedestrian and bicycle pathway width of 10.67 metres for False
Creek North, Coal Harbour and Bayshore developments. This
increased the width of the waterfront walkway to 10.67m, an
increase of 3.05m above the False Creek North and Coal Harbour
Official Development Plan widths of 7.62m.
The approved pathway widths consist of approximately a 3.7m
bicycle path, a 1.5m landscaped buffer and a 5.5m pedestrian
walkway, with some variations permitted. In False Creek North
and Bayshore, 10.67m has been provided everywhere for the
waterfront pathways. In Coal Harbour, 10.67m has been provided
for separated bicycle and pedestrian pathways and 9.1m for shared
pathways. The narrower width for shared pathways in Coal Harbour
reflects the absence of the 1.5m landscaped buffer.
To date, only two phases of the waterfront pathways are near
completion - the Roundhouse Neighbourhood in False Creek North
and the Marina Neighbourhood in Coal Harbour. A portion of the
Roundhouse Neighbourhood pathway through David Lam Park has been
open and in use for over one year.
Based on the current use of the pathway through David Lam Park,
Councillors expressed concern with the width of the bicycle path
and the ability to accommodate future bicyclist volumes. On June
29, 1995, Council requested that staff report back on the
relative pedestrian and bicycle pathway widths for new waterfront
pedestrian/bicycle routes. Staff are reporting back on revised
widths as the designs are underway for two new waterfront
pedestrian/bicycle routes, Concord's Beach Neighbourhood East and
the Bayshore site.
DISCUSSION
Discussions with the Bicycle Advisory Committee indicate a
preference for equal pedestrian and bicycle path widths and a
landscaped or vertical separation between the pathways, wherever
feasible. A usage study was done by the Park Board on July 28,
1996 for the Stanley Park seawall route which showed
approximately equal pedestrian and bicycle use. In-line skaters,
which are permitted on the Stanley Park seawall, made up 20% of
the total users. The usage rates are summarized in Appendix A.
Based on existing waterfront pedestrian/bicycle route use, the
Bicycle Advisory Committee s input and development site
constraints, staff recommend the following revised pedestrian and
bicycle pathway widths for False Creek North, Coal Harbour and
Bayshore.
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False Creek North
In June 1994, Council approved the design of the waterfront
pedestrian/bicycle route for the Roundhouse Neighbourhood. The
overall width of the pathway is 10.67m, including stone cap and
railing, and consists of a 5.5m pedestrian pathway, a 1.5m
landscaped buffer and a 3.5m bicycle pathway.
Staff recommend equal pedestrian and bicycle pathway widths for
the Quayside and Beach Neighbourhood East waterfront
pedestrian/bicycle routes which are currently being designed.
This results in pedestrian and bicycle pathway widths of 4.5m
with a 1.5m landscaped buffer.
Revised pathway widths are easily accommodated in the Quayside
and Beach Neighbourhood East areas as the waterfront route is
located entirely on fill. The landscaped buffer and walkway
lighting will simply be shifted towards the water. Sensible
transitions from the current as-built widths in the Roundhouse
Neighbourhood to the revised widths in the Quayside Neighbourhood
and the Beach Neighbourhood East are also possible. The shared
area and change in pathway direction at the end of Davie Street
provide the transition between the Roundhouse and Quayside
Neighbourhoods. The change in pathway direction and intersection
of the False Creek Pump Station walkway and the waterfront
pathway provide the transition between the Roundhouse and Beach
Neighbourhoods.
Appendix B shows the current approved pathway widths, the
recommended revised pathway widths and the transition areas.
Coal Harbour
In October 1994, Council approved the design of the waterfront
pedestrian/bicycle route for the Marina Neighbourhood. The
overall width of the shared pedestrian and bicycle pathway is
9.1m with bicyclists encouraged to ride in the upland 3.8m of the
pathway. This is done through the use of different paving
materials and a granite separation spine. The overall width of
the separated pathway is 12.1m and consists of a 6.1m pedestrian
pathway, a 2.4m planting and seating area and a 3.6m bicycle
pathway.
Staff recommend that the widths approved for the Marina
Neighbourhood be maintained for the Harbour Green Neighbourhood
and Burrard Landing. The waterfront pathway in the Harbour Green
Neighbourhood is adjacent to the remaining unbuilt two-thirds of
Harbour Green Park. One-third of Harbour Green Park, including
the adjacent separated pedestrian and bicycle pathways, has been
provided in conjunction with the Marina Neighbourhood
development.
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A change in widths would impact the design of the park by
interrupting the linearity of the design along the sweep of the
bay. Once the entire park is built, a discontinuity in the
pathway widths would appear nonsensical. As well, the width of
the bicycle pathway through the park is more usable. Open space
at the same level as the pathway and narrow concrete banding
reduce a bicyclist's shying distance from the edge of the
pathway.
The waterfront pathway through Burrard Landing is a shared system
from Harbour Green Park to the Burrard Place extension where
bicyclists leave the waterfront. Pedestrians continue along the
waterfront walkway around the hotel, similar to the walkway
around Canada Place. A shared system similar to the Marina
Neighbourhood is appropriate in the western portion of Burrard
Landing because of the high volume of pedestrian traffic crossing
the walkway from the Arts Complex Plaza and from the stairs over
the waterfront retail parcels. It is important that bicyclists
in this busy area are riding slowly.
Appendix C illustrates the current conceptual and approved
pedestrian/bicycle route design for Coal Harbour.
Bayshore
The intent for the Bayshore shared and separated waterfront
pedestrian and bicycle pathways was to meet the Council approved
overall width of 10.67m with a 5.5m pedestrian pathway, a 1.5m
landscaped buffer and a 3.7m bicycle pathway. To date, the
developer has been developing the design of the shoreline
protection works, the deck structure and the waterfront pathway
based on the approved widths.
Staff recommend widening the bicycle pathway to 4.6m through
Cardero Park, maintaining the 6.0m width along the west side of
the hotel and widening the remaining bicycle pathways to 4.0m.
The waterfront pathway through Cardero Park is located on fill
and has no landscape buffer in order to accommodate fire fighting
access. This allows equal pedestrian and bicycle pathways widths
of 4.6m to be easily provided. As was contemplated through the
rezoning and design process, 1.5m of the pedestrian pathway will
be located on the Bayshore property. Along the west side of the
hotel there is adequate width for bicycles as the bicycle path is
shared with a 6.0 metre wide limited access service road.
The remaining waterfront walkway is comprised of fill, a 4m-5m
retaining wall and deck on piles. In order to accommodate a
wider bicycle path, the landscaped planter acting as a buffer
between cyclists and pedestrians would need to be relocated onto
the deck structure or removed. Fisheries concerns with fish
habitat loss preclude moving the retaining wall out towards the
water a significant amount in order to accommodate a much wider
bicycle
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path and to maintain the landscape buffer on fill. Staff feel
that it is important to maintain the landscape buffer between
pedestrians and bicyclists and the landscaping be on fill in
order to promote larger, healthier trees. Widening the bicycle
pathway from 3.7 metres to the minimum Transportation Association
of Canada (TAC) standard of 4.0 metres provides for a wider
bicycle path without forcing the landscaping onto the deck
structure. A wider path also compensates for shying distances
from the adjacent hotel's pool and patio structures and the
towers' plaza area.
Appendix D indicates the current approved pathway widths and the
recommended revised widths for the waterfront bicycle and
pedestrian pathways.
A summary of the approved and recommended revised pedestrian and
bicycle pathway widths for the False Creek North, Coal Harbour
and Bayshore developments is shown in Appendix E.
Staff will re-evaluate the pedestrian and bicycle pathway widths
as the design for each new sub-area is initiated. The widths of
the pedestrian and bicycle pathways will be adjusted as required
based on the pedestrian and bicycle use of open sections of
waterfront pedestrian/bicycle routes. This will be reported to
Council in conjunction with the overall design of the pathway for
each sub-area.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommend widening the bicycle pathways of the waterfront
pedestrian/bicycle routes in False Creek North, Coal Harbour and
Bayshore developments wherever feasible given the development
site constraints. The pedestrian and bicycle pathway widths will
be re-evaluated with the design of each new sub-area, and
reported to Council based on pedestrian and bicycle use of open
waterfront pathways.
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