SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 1
                                           T&T COMMITTEE AGENDA
                                           MAY 14, 1997

                             ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                           Date: 30 April 1997
                                           Dept. File No. 
                                           CC File: 5761-1

   TO:       Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

   FROM:     General Manager of Engineering Services

   SUBJECT:  Supplemental Report to the Traffic Plan for Burrard and
             Cypress

   CONSIDERATION

        K.   THAT the work on Burrard from 1st to 3rd be done with minimum
             (3.7m) curb-lane width, to reduce pavement width, and property
             and construction costs by $170,000.

   GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

        The General Manager of Engineering services submits K for
        CONSIDERATION.

   PURPOSE

   To offer an alternative design on Burrard Street between 1st and 3rd
   Avenue which will reduce property and construction costs, and pavement
   width by reducing curb-lane widths.

   DISCUSSION

   This update is supplementary to the report of March 27, 1997 on design
   modifications to Burrard Street.  In that report, the design proposed
   includes bicycle lanes north of 1st Avenue, and wide 4.0m curb lanes
   from 1st Avenue to 3rd Avenue.  

   At the April 9, 1997 Standing Committee meeting, a number of delegations
   from the Cycling Community were heard, and they indicated that the wide
   lanes on Burrard were not an important part of the plan.  The trade-off
   discussed was that with the wider curb lanes, vehicles can more easily
   pass bicycles, but the speeds are higher.  Furthermore, wider pavement
   means greater crossing distances for pedestrians, and higher property
   costs.  

   The curb-lane width needed to provide space for trucks and buses in the
   absence of bicycles is 3.4m (11 ft.)  Motor vehicles would need to slow
   down and follow bicycles or change lanes to go around bicycles.  If this
   curb-lane width was to be used, it could reduce project costs by
   approximately $365,000.  However, this could bring vehicles very close
   to cyclists and is not recommended.  The minimum width needed for
   vehicles to pass bicycles within a lane is 3.7m (12 ft.), which is the
   current curb-lane width on Burrard.  The initial design (geometric YD
   632, Recommendation A) provides for wider, 4.0m (13 ft.) curb lanes,
   which exceed the minimum needed for vehicles to pass bicycles.  This
   width would provide a more comfortable space for cyclists.

   It has been Engineering's position, as expressed in the Comprehensive
   Bike Plan and the March 27 report, that safety is increased by providing
   more space for bicycles to integrate on busy arterial streets.  However,
   there are alternative views and some bicycle groups are advocating
   reduced pavement widths to reduce vehicle speeds.

   If the curb-lane widths were set at 3.7m instead of 4.0m, significant
   cost reductions would be realized, particularly due to reduced property
   costs.  The cost reductions are as follows:

                    Reduced Property   Reduced Construction
                          Costs               Costs           Total

   1st to 3rd            $165,000             $5,000               $170,000
   (3.7 m curb lane)


   Therefore, the project cost could be reduced from $1,900,000 to
   $1,730,000 (a 9% decrease).

   The proposal outlined in this supplementary report would still include
   the bicycle improvements on Cornwall at Burrard, the left-turn bays
   along Burrard, and the bicycle lanes on Burrard from Cornwall to 1st
   Avenue.  The bicycle lanes would connect Burrard Bridge to 1st Avenue
   and the Cypress Bikeway, and then Cypress could be used as an
   alternative to Burrard Street south of 1st Avenue.  Cyclists would be
   encouraged through signage and pavement marking to take the
   Burrard/1st/Cypress routing.  Experienced cyclists would likely continue
   to choose Burrard Street to travel south of 1st Avenue, which would be
   accommodated by the proposed 3.7m curb-lane widths.

   CONCLUSION

   At the April 9, 1997 Standing Committee meeting, the bicycle community
   recommended minimizing the pavement width on Burrard Street, in lieu of
   wider curb lanes.  To reduce the pavement width and property costs, the
   proposed work could be done with 3.7m curb lanes from 1st to 3rd Avenue. 
   Cyclists would then be encouraged to use the Cypress Bikeway south of
   1st instead of Burrard.  By reducing the curb lanes as suggested, the
   project cost would be reduced by $170,000 (9%).  This option is provided
   for CONSIDERATION.



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