Proposed Traffic Plan for Burrard and Cypress Streets

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: March 27, 1997
Dept. File No. H193-34
CC File No. 5553-2/5701

TO: Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services,
in consultation with the Director of City Plans
and the Transportation Planning Team

SUBJECT: Proposed Traffic Plan for Burrard and Cypress Streets

RECOMMENDATION

. THAT Burrard Street be constructed in accordance with this
report (geometric YD 632), to provide the following:

Cornwall - a northbound left-turn bay and an eastbound
bicycle lane,
1st Avenue - northbound and southbound left-turn bays and
bicycle lanes on Burrard from Cornwall to 1st
Avenue, and a traffic signal upgrade,
2nd Avenue - southbound left-turn bay,
4th Avenue - northbound left-turn bay,

with funding of $1,625,000 for the bays, bicycle lanes, and
signal changes at Cornwall, 1st, and 2nd from existing Streets
Capital funds, and funding of $275,000 for the bay at 4th to
be included in the 1998 Streets Basic Capital Budget.

B. THAT bicycle lanes be painted on Burrard from Cornwall to 1st
Avenue (with the reduction of one southbound vehicle lane) and
on the Cornwall approach to the bridge, bicycle stencils be
painted on 1st Avenue to link Burrard to the Cypress Bicycle
Route, and wide curb lanes for bicycles be installed where
other curbs are being reconstructed.

C. THAT the pedestrian signal at 1st and Burrard be upgraded to a
full signal, with the capability to upgrade further with north
and southbound left-turn arrows.

D. THAT the Manager of Real Estate Services be authorized to
conclude required property negotiations for report back to
Council.

E. THAT the Streets Operating Budget be increased by $6,000 per
year to pay for maintenance of landscaping in the medians.

F. THAT following a decision on the proposals herein, the area be
resurveyed to determine the need for further measures to
reduce traffic on Cypress Street, for report back to
Committee.

G. THAT staff review and report back on building lines on Burrard
Street from 1st Avenue to 12th Avenue to provide bicycle
lanes.

CONSIDERATION

H. THAT only the turn bays at Cornwall and 4th, and the signal
upgrade at 1st proceed at this time with funding of $690,000
from existing Streets Capital funds, and the situation be
monitored to determine if further changes are still needed;

I. THAT left turns be prohibited at 1st, 2nd and 3rd;

J. THAT bicycle lanes be painted on Burrard from Cornwall to 1st
Avenue (with the reduction of one southbound vehicle lane) and
on the Cornwall approach to the bridge, and bicycle stencils
be painted on 1st Avenue to link Burrard to the Cypress
Bicycle Route.

The General Manager of Engineering Services RECOMMENDS A through G,
but submits H, I, and J for CONSIDERATION as an alternative should
Council wish a phased approach to this project.

COMMENTS OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF COMMUNITY SERVICES

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS a partial
program indicated by C, F, H and J.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council has approved traffic calming programs in a number of
neighbourhoods. The Kitsilano Traffic, Cycling and Parking Plan
proposes stop signs on Cypress Street between 4th Avenue and Cornwall
and left-turn bays on Burrard at 1st Avenue.

THAT where curbs are being moved a curb lane of 4.3m be provided for
bicycles if feasible, and the minimum curb-lane width be 3.7m

SUMMARY

There are a number of neighbourhood issues (east and west of Burrard
Street), which are related to problems with the arterial system. These
include:

- traffic shortcutting on Cypress;
- high number of accidents on Burrard at 1st and 2nd
Avenues;
- no left-turn bay on Burrard at 4th for northbound
traffic; and
- residents east of Burrard have asked for the signal at
1st and Burrard to be upgraded to a full signal, to
provide trucks from Molsons an alternative to Fir Street.

As part of a public opinion survey, 4,300 questionnaires were sent to
residents and businesses between 5th Avenue, Anderson Street, Arbutus
Street and False Creek (including Kitsilano Point), describing proposals
for left-turn bays at Cornwall, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Avenues, and
traffic signal upgrade at Burrard and 1st. A total of 1,052 were
returned. The majority of respondents favoured the individual proposals,
except for the bay at 3rd Avenue (which is not recommended).

Two alternative sets of proposals are offered in the recommendations to
this report, as follows:

Option 1: The Full Program (See Figure 1).

(a) A left-turn connection from northbound Burrard to westbound
Cornwall, to reduce the traffic level on Cypress Street.

(b) A northbound left-turn bay at 4th Avenue, with some minor widening
to the east side of Burrard between 4th and 5th Avenues.

(d) A bicycle lane painted on the Cornwall approach to the Burrard
Bridge.

(e) A bicycle lane painted on Burrard from Cornwall to 1st with the
removal of one of the four southbound vehicle lanes.

(f) Left-turn bays on Burrard at 1st Avenue.

(g) Left-turn bay southbound at 2nd Avenue.

(h) Widening of Burrard on the west side, between Cornwall and 3rd, to
accommodate left-turn bays (at 1st and 2nd), a landscaped median
(between 2nd and 3rd), and wider curb lanes for bicycles (between
1st and 3rd).

As noted, the full program has been evaluated and is supported by the
public-opinion survey. It would provide direct access from Burrard,
westbound to Cornwall and would improve safety along Burrard Street.
The upgrading of the traffic signal on Burrard at 1st would provide
trucks from Molsons an alternative to Fir Street, as requested by
residents, and improve safety at this intersection.

The costs of the full program are estimated to be $1,900,000.

Option 2: A partial program

The partial program would include proposals (a) to (e) above, but would
not include the left-turn bays at 1st and 2nd Avenue, and the associated
widening (f, g and h).

The partial program is similar to the full program in that it would
provide direct access from Burrard, westbound to Cornwall. This would
reduce the number of cars turning at 1st, and thus improve safety and
reduce shortcutting through the neighbourhood. The upgrading of the
traffic signal on Burrard at 1st, and the northbound bay at 4th are also
included in the partial program.

The costs of the changes proposed in the partial program would be in the
order of $690,000.

Monitoring of the impacts on traffic and the neighbourhood would
indicate any further fine-tuning or other adjustments, including
possible left-turn bays at 1st, if warranted in the future.
Whichever option is selected, a further phase of work in this area will
be to conduct a public opinion survey concerning traffic calming on
Cypress Street, between 1st Avenue and 4th Avenue.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to recommend final implementation of the
Kitsilano Plan (with left-turn bays on 1st Avenue and traffic calming on
Cypress). However, through consultation with residents and traffic
safety studies, the scope of the work has expanded to include changes on
Burrard at Cornwall, 2nd Avenue and 4th Avenue, and a signal upgrade at
1st Avenue. As part of this work, improvements will also be made to
bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

BACKGROUND

There are three major issues that have led to this report:

I) Implementation of the Kitsilano Traffic, Cycling and Parking
Plan. After a three-year public consultation process, this Plan
was approved by Council in October 1992. There are a few final
pieces of the Kitsilano Plan that have not been implemented. Two
of these are the left-turn bays on Burrard at 1st, and
consideration of stop signs on Cypress Street (initially stop
signs were discussed, but more restrictive measures have been
requested). Another issue that has since developed is the use of
Cypress as a collector street for the local neighbourhood and
Kitsilano Point, which was confirmed by the Plan but is opposed
by residents on Cypress.

II) Neighbourhood studies and consultation. A license plate survey
has shown that much of the traffic on Cypress is destined to
Kitsilano Point. There is also a component that is shortcutting
to get to Burrard Bridge (arterial traffic). The reasons are as
follows:

- There is no connection from Burrard northbound to
Cornwall, so traffic uses Cypress to reach Cornwall,
Kitsilano Point, and Kitsilano Beach.

- There is no left-turn bay from northbound Burrard to
4th Avenue, so traffic uses 3rd and 5th avenues
instead.

- During afternoon rush hours, left turns are
prohibited from eastbound 4th to northbound Burrard,
so traffic uses other routes such as Cypress St.

III) Other issues raised by residents and safety studies:

- Trucks from Molson s brewery use 1st Avenue and Fir
Street, which is disruptive to nearby residents

- Left turns from Burrard create safety problems

- Cyclists have difficulty accessing the Burrard
Bridge

- Access from Burrard Bridge to Granville Island is
circuitous and confusing

- The Draft Transportation Plan suggests a
T-inter-section at Burrard and Cornwall, with a
left-turn bay, as well as bicycle lanes on Burrard
from Cornwall to 12th Avenue

- The commercial area around 1st and Cypress and to
False Creek generates traffic on streets in the
area.

Important historical information is as follows:

- A pedestrian signal was installed at 1st and Burrard in May 1994.

- An Open House was held at Henry Hudson School on June 21, 1995.
About 60 people attended and a strong majority of people supported a
left turn bay from northbound Burrard to Cornwall. A majority
also supported left turn bays to 1st Avenue.

- A Traffic Commission meeting was held on November 14, 1995 regarding
left-turn bays on Burrard. At that time a decision on Burrard
Bridge was expected to be made shortly and a decision on the turn
bays was delayed, to be included with the Burrard Bridge decision.

- In the Spring of 1996, a decision on the Burrard Bridge was deferred
pending development of a bicycle network. Residents of Cypress
Street requested that the left-turn bays be considered separately
from the bridge proposals. The City agreed and worked with the
residents in the summer and fall to prepare a survey. The survey
was delivered in November, and the results are reported herein.

DISCUSSION

The transportation issues in this area range from safety issues on
Burrard Street to concerns about shortcutting and high volumes on
Cypress Street. In addition, cyclists have requested improved
facilities on the arterials to complement the nearby non-arterial routes
(the Cypress and Seaside routes). The discussion below highlights the
concerns about shortcutting on Cypress and the safety problem on
Burrard.

Shortcutting

Cypress Street is busy for a number of reasons. It is the only
northbound access to Kitsilano Point, and is used by residents of and
visitors to the area. It is also used by some commuters to shortcut to
the Burrard Bridge to avoid the afternoon rush-hour left-turn
restriction from 4th Avenue to Burrard. As well, some northbound
drivers turn at 3rd Avenue and then use Cypress to access 4th Avenue, to
circumvent the left-turn restriction on Burrard at 4th Avenue. Finally,
Cypress provides access to the Kitsilano apartment area and the
commercial area near Cypress and 1st. Two of the proposals in this
report would address the residents concerns about high traffic volumes,
the left-turn bays at Cornwall Avenue and at 4th Avenue. A further
proposal to allow turns from eastbound 4th Avenue to northbound Burrard
will be the subject of further public consultation and a future report
that will deal with traffic calming on Cypress Street.

Safety

On Burrard Street between 1st and 4th Avenue there have been 332
intersection accidents in the past 5 years. The estimated cost of
injuries and property damage is $635,000 per year. The table below
shows that the most common accident is caused when left-turners collide
head-on with oncoming traffic. The worst location for these left-turn
head-on accidents is at 1st Avenue (43 in the past 5 years), where there
are frequent left turns and a lack of left-turn bays. Other types of
accidents such as rear-end (78 in the corridor in 5 years) and sideswipe
accidents (25 in the corridor in 5 years) may also be related to left
turns.

In this report, left-turn bays are proposed at 1st, 2nd and 4th to deal
with the safety concerns on Burrard Street. Bays will improve the visibility for left turners by providing a better view of opposing left
turn vehicles (which leads to a reduction
in the left-turn head-on accidents). Bays also remove the turning
vehicles from through traffic, and reduce rear-end and sideswipe
accidents. Furthermore, by reducing frustration left-turn bays may
reduce pedestrian accidents. Several studies in Vancouver and else
where have shown that left-turn bays typically reduce accidents by 40 to
50%. The 5 year accident data for Burrard at 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th is
as follows:

Burrard/ Burrard/ Burrard/ Burrard/ Total
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Left-turn Head-on 43 17 13 27 100
Angle 24 14 18 28 84
Rear End 16 15 10 37 78
Sideswipe 10 3 5 7 25
Head on 6 3 0 6 15
Bike 1 4 1 7 13
Pedestrian 1 4 3 1 9
Unknown 2 1 0 2 5
Fixed Object 2 0 0 0 2
Backing 1 1
Total105 61 51 115 332

* The accident rate at Burrard/1st is notable. There
are almost as many accidents at Burrard/1st as there
are at Burrard/4th, even though there is only 1/8th
as much traffic on 1st as on 4th.

In reviewing all issues, it is apparent that many of the problems are
caused by the inability of arterial streets (in the Burrard/Cornwall
area) to address local access needs. Burrard Street was originally
designed only to provide direct access to downtown, and even today most
of the 50,000 vehicles on Burrard are either going to or coming from the
downtown. Burrard Bridge is the busiest of the three bridges that cross
False Creek.

Although Burrard Street is serving the bridge well, it is not
accommodating neighbourhood access very well. The nearby area has
evolved to include higher densities, more destinations, and several
bicycle routes. Now Burrard Street should be improved to meet the
evolving needs of Kitsilano, Burrard Slopes, and Granville Island, and
to reduce the accident problem. It is also important to note that the
Burrard corridor is an important route for pedestrians and bicycles, and
these modes need to be well served by any roadway changes.

Proposals

The proposed changes are intended to address the access and safety
issues, and are outlined below.

Note: Where there are differences between Engineering, Planning, and
the Transportation Plan Team, the difference of opinion is
highlighted. Complete comments of the Director of Planning and
the Transportation Team are attached.

Cornwall - A northbound left-turn bay will provide direct access from
Burrard to Cornwall. This bay, which has been proposed by area
residents, will allow arterial movements to occur on the major streets.
It will shift traffic away from Cypress Street and Henry Hudson
Elementary School. There will, however, be some delays to traffic on
the Burrard Bridge (including the #22 bus), and pedestrians will have a
longer distance to cross Burrard. The opinion survey has shown strong
support (75%) for this bay.

No property is required, but there would be loss of some green space.

Note: The Director of City Plans supports this connection in
Principle but recommends a T-intersection design as described
in the Draft Transportation Plan Blue Book (page 82), to
improve pedestrian access and safety to Burrard Bridge.

1st Avenue - North and southbound bays were proposed in the Kitsilano
Plan. There is a high demand to turn left off Burrard to the industrial
and residential areas in the east, and the commercial and residential
areas in the west. The high number of turns here is the reason there
have been 105 accidents at this intersection in the past 5 years, which
is very high. The public-opinion survey has shown strong support (76%)
for this bay. This work is recommended because of its potential to
serve local traffic and avoid use of Cypress Street.

Construction will require a strip of property on the west side of
Burrard from 1st Avenue to 3rd Avenue; the amount varies from 3.7m
(between 1st and 2nd Avenue) to less than 0.5m at 3rd Avenue. This
width is partly dictated by the need to meet bicycle width standards.
At the Petro-Canada in the 1700 Block, the distance between the gas
pumps and the property line will be
reduced to a minimum. At the Budget Rent-a-Car in this same block, two
parking spots will be lost. In the 1800 Block, two more parking spaces
will be lost, one in the parking area north of the lane and the second
south of the lane. Parking in this area is in high demand. It is
proposed that staff work with businesses to investigate on-street
parking options (parking time limits would be one example) to offset the
losses.

Note: The Director of City Plans and the Transportation Plan Team do
not recommend the left-turn bays at 1st and 2nd. Instead,
they recommend the need for these bays be evaluated after the
bay at Cornwall is installed.

2nd Avenue - This bay would improve access to Granville Island. In the
past 5 years there have been 61 accidents at this intersection, and a
southbound bay is proposed. There is strong support for this proposal
(68% in favour).

The widening needed for bays at 1st Avenue will also accommodate the
work at 2nd Avenue, with no additional property costs.

Note: As noted above, the Director of City Plans and the
Transportation Plan Team do not recommend the bay at 2nd.

Signal Upgrade - 1st Avenue and Burrard - It is recommended that the
pedestrian signal at 1st and Burrard be upgraded to a full signal. The
signal would provide easier access to Burrard Street for trucks leaving
Molson s Brewery, which would then reduce residents concerns about the
use of Fir and noise impacts from the trucks. The signal will be
designed to allow the addition of left-turn flashing arrows. Further
discussion with nearby residents and businesses should be held before
installing these turn signals.

Bicycle Lanes - With the geometric changes proposed, bicycle lanes can
be painted on Burrard between Cornwall and 1st Avenue. (The number of
southbound traffic lanes on Burrard will be reduced from four lanes to
three as a result.) The bicycle lanes will link the bicycle route on
the bridge to 1st Avenue, which in turn will link Burrard to the Cypress
Street Bikeway.(Bicycle stencils will be painted on 1st Avenue, as
suggested in the Draft Transportation Plan). This would provide
prominent indication that cycling is being enhanced in this corridor,
which has been an objective of the Bicycle Advisory Committee. 1st
Avenue to the east also provides a link to the Seaside Route. South of
1st
Avenue, it is not feasible to fit a bicycle lane (due to property
impacts). However, wherever possible, the curb lane can be widened to
approximately 4.0m. To achieve the optimum 4.3m lanes for vehicles and
bicycles would add substantially to the project costs, due to property
constraints. However, 4.0m lanes will provide a more comfortable space
for cyclists, in excess of the widths specified in the Comprehensive
Bicycle Plan.

A further improvement, requested by cyclists, will be to provide more
space on Cornwall at the approach to Burrard Bridge. A bicycle lane
will be provided on this approach.

Note: The Director of City Plans and the Transportation Plan Team
support bicycle lanes on Burrard but they recommend that they
be done without curb changes or property acquisition.

Pedestrian Facilities - The proposed curb changes will result in longer
crossing distances, particularly at Cornwall. However, the centre
median will assist pedestrians at non-signalized intersections. This
median will be widened and landscaped between 2nd and 3rd to improve
the appearance of Burrard as well as provide a refuge for pedestrians.
At the signalized intersections, protected crossing times will be
increased as needed, to accommodate pedestrians. At 1st and Burrard,
the northwest corner will be filled in, which will allow the north
crosswalk, presently closed, to be opened to pedestrians.

Note: The median changes would only occur if the 1st and 2nd avenue
bays were installed, which are not supported by the Director
of City Plans or the Transportation Plan Team.

3rd Avenue - A southbound bay at 3rd Avenue was included in the public
opinion survey but is not recommended. Residents did not support this
work because there are other suitable options to access the area east of
Burrard. There are fewer accidents at 3rd, and bays at 1st and 2nd
Avenues would provide a good alternative. Without a bay at 3rd, it will
be possible to widen and landscape the median (with shrubs and
plantings) between 2nd and 3rd, so crossing Burrard will be easier for
pedestrians.

4th Avenue - The northbound to westbound left turn is prohibited during
rush hours to reduce congestion problems. However, traffic spills over
onto 3rd Avenue. There have been 115 accidents at this location in the
past 5 years. A northbound bay will improve safety and will
significantly reduce the shortcutting problem. Residents very strongly
support this proposal (90% in favour). Response to the public notice at
this location has also been positive. There is an existing paved median
on Burrard which will be used to provide the bay. However, a small
strip of property will be needed on the east side of Burrard from 4th to
5th Avenue. This strip varies in width up to 1.1m. Vancouver Auto
Ltd., between 5th Avenue and the lane to the north, expressed concerns
about their stairs and a large sign in the front of their property. The
design has been adjusted to minimize these concerns.

Do-Nothing Option - Although "do nothing" is an option, there are
implications. If the turn at Cornwall is not provided, traffic will
need to continue to use Cypress to access Kitsilano Point and Cornwall,
and only limited traffic calming will be possible. If the bays are not
provided at 1st or 2nd Avenue, then it may prove necessary to ban one or
more left turns to improve safety. Similarly, not making changes to 4th
Avenue, traffic will continue to turn at 3rd Avenue.

Compatibility With the Draft Transportation Plan

The proposals listed above meet many of the objectives of the Draft
Transportation Plan:

a) The Draft Plan suggests there should not be large increases in
capacity. Along this section of Burrard, capacity is governed by
the two major intersections, 4th and Cornwall, and the proposed
changes will reduce capacity. At 4th Avenue a northbound bay is
being added, but this will replace a peak period turn restriction
so there will be not be a significant change in capacity. At
Cornwall, an additional signal phase will be added to accommodate
the turns to Cornwall. From the Micro-Sintral computer program, it
is estimated that capacity on southbound Burrard will be reduced by
approximately 20%, and there will be some back-up on the Burrard
Bridge and some delays to southbound traffic. In summary, there
will be a net decrease in capacity.

b) The proposals protect two neighbourhoods, the Burrard Slopes area
and Cypress Street.

c) Bicycle lanes are proposed, which will be unique in the City.
Linkages will be provided joining Burrard St., the Cypress route,
and the Seaside route.

d) There has been significant public input including the lengthy
Kitsilano Plan process, an Open House, and an extensive survey
delivered to over 4000 addresses.

e) The Draft Transportation Plan suggests that widening for left-turn
bays should not proceed unless the entire route is considered.
This analysis has been done for Burrard St. and is reported here.
The overall result of the proposed changes is to reduce corridor
capacity, while improving safety and local service.

f) This report does not implement the T-intersection suggested for
Burrard and Cornwall, but is consistent with it. A T-intersection
would be a substantive change that should be evaluated in
conjunction with future treatment of the Burrard Bridge, with a
thorough public process. However, the proposals in this report are
supportive of the T-intersection being installed at a later time.

g) A left-turn bay at Burrard and Cornwall is supported by the Draft
Plan and is recommended in this report. The concept was first
envisioned by residents of the area.

h) The Draft Transportation Plan also suggests that bicycle lanes
should be installed on Burrard from the Bridge to 4th Avenue, and
eventually to 12th Avenue. Public advocacy groups also support
this. Due to property constraints, it is not possible to extend
the lanes south of 1st Avenue at this time. However, it is
recommended that building lines be considered between 1st and 12th
Avenue, as part of a City-wide review (Recommendation G). However,
the Transportation Plan Team generally does not support large
expenditures for widening or building lines to accommodate bike
lanes.

PUBLIC INPUT

Public input has been as follows:
- A public opinion survey was sent to 4300 residents and businesses
between Arbutus Street, Anderson/Granville Bridge, 5th Avenue, and
False Creek/English Bay.

- Project boards are installed at 4 locations along the Burrard
Corridor.

- Several meetings have been held with residents, including an Open
House at Henry Hudson Elementary School in June of 1995.

- Letters have been sent to Granville Island, the South False Creek
Residents Association, and affected property owners at 4th and
Burrard for input.

The public opinion survey was divided into two sections, west of Burrard
and east of Burrard (see Appendix A). The western survey dealt with
measures which would affect residents west of Burrard, which includes
the northbound bays and the signal upgrade at 1st Avenue. The eastern
survey dealt with the southbound turn bays and also dealt with the
signal upgrade. A summary of the survey responses is shown below (a
more detailed summary is included in Appendix B):

Total Surveys Delivered = 4300
Surveys returned = 1052 (24%)

Cornwall - Left-turn Bay = 75% support
1st Avenue - Left-turn Bay = 76% support
- Signal Upgrade = 70% support
- Left-turn Arrow = 63% support
2nd Avenue - Left-turn Bay = 68% support
3rd Avenue - Left-turn Bay = 46% support
4th Avenue - Left-turn Bay = 90% support

Common Comments:

- The left-turn bays are needed.
- With the existing southbound bay at 4th and the proposed bay at 2nd,
the southbound bay at 3rd is not needed.
- There should be a left-turn flashing arrow for southbound Burrard to
eastbound 1st, in addition to the arrow then proposed for the
northbound direction.
- The left-turn bays are expensive.

Other Input

The President of the False Creek Residents Association noted a concern
that southbound left-turn bays on Burrard at 1st and 2nd could direct
traffic to Lamey s Mill Road. Although the bays on Burrard are not
expected to attract non-local traffic, 1st, 2nd and Lamey s Mill Road
will be monitored, and appropriate remedial measures proposed as
necessary.

Letters have also been received from Henry Hudson Elementary School, Pacific Space Centre, Maritime Museum, and Vancouver Museum, in support
of a left-turn bay from Burrard to Cornwall.

As noted, residents along Cypress Street have had many discussions with
City staff. They originally suggested and are strongly in favour of the
connection from Burrard to Cornwall. They also wish to pursue traffic
calming measures along Cypress Street.

Comments of the Director of City Plans and
the Transportation Plan Team: (See Appendix C)

Briefly, the Director of City Plans the Transportation Plan Team support
the bays at Cornwall and 4th Avenue, and the signal upgrade at 1st
Avenue, but do not support bays at 1st or 2nd Avenue, because of the
potential for neighbourhood impacts. Complete copies of their comments
are attached to this report.

Traffic Calming on Cypress Street - The Next Phase

Cypress residents have requested that traffic calming be considered for
their street, but not until the arterial changes are known. This is
supported by staff because without an improved connection to Cornwall
and to 1st Avenue, traffic calming opportunities on Cypress would be
limited. Therefore, after Council considers the recommendations of
this report, a further survey will be distributed to residents to
determine support for traffic calming on Cypress Street. The measures
will be intended to further reduce and slow the traffic using Cypress.
Presently the level of traffic on Cypress ranges from 4000 vehicles per
day just north of 4th Avenue to about 8000 vehicles per day north of 1st
Avenue. These levels are high for a street of this nature, and include
a component of through traffic.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The estimated costs of the street work (geometric drawing YD 632),
traffic signal changes, and bicycle lanes are as follows:

Cornwall (left-turn bay) = $375,000
1st and 2nd Avenue - Left Turn Bays = $1,030,000
- Signal Upgrade = $ 40,000
4th Avenue(left-turn bay) = $ 275,000
Bicycle Facilities = $ 180,000*
$1,900,000

*bicycle costs include:
curb and pavement work = $25,000
extra property (between 1st & 2nd) = $150,000
signs and paint markings = $ 5,000
$180,000

There are net benefits which offset these costs. The bay at Cornwall
will provide neighbourhood protection by lowering the traffic on Cypress
Street, and the bays at 1st, 2nd and 4th will reduce accident costs
(personal injury and property damage) by an estimated $635,000 per year.
Since accident reduction is expected, ICBC will be requested to
contribute funding to this project. A further benefit will be that
cyclists will have improved access to the Burrard Bridge.

City Council has already provided preliminary funding for the left-turn
bays in the amount of $1,625,000 (Account Number 12/31/9825/999). It is
recommended the remaining balance of $275,000 to complete the left-turn
bay at 4th Avenue be submitted to the 1998 Streets Basic Capital Program
for consideration. Should Council opt for the staged project, then
$690,000 would be required at this time, which is available from
funding already provided.

IMPLEMENTATION AND SCHEDULE

Should all aspects of this plan be approved, the approximate schedule
for completion would be as follows:

Spring 1997 - Cypress Street Traffic Calming Survey

Summer 1997 - Begin construction of the Burrard/Cornwall left-turn
bay, and paint the bicycle lanes on Cornwall

Fall 1998 - Upgrade Signal at Burrard/1st to a full signal - Su
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CONCLUSION

Traffic problems on the street system at and nearby Burrard Street, 1st
Avenue and Cypress Street are complex. The problems have developed due
to changes and growth in the surrounding area, without corresponding
changes in the street system. With the help of residents, a proposal
has been developed to modify Burrard to address the needs of the area
by providing the following:

- reduction of traffic on Cypress Street.
- improved access to businesses and
residences in the area
- a new route for trucks for Molson s
Brewery (to reduce the noise impacts)
- new bicycle connections
- consistency with the Draft Transportation
Plan.

The cost of $1,900,000 is offset by improvements to safety, access, and
neighbourhood protection, and will be reflected in accident savings
within two to three years.

* * * * *