SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
T&T COMMITTEE AGENDA
JULY 8, 1997
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: June 10, 1997
Dept. File No. 3153
CC File No. 5757/5753
TO: Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
Director of Community Planning
SUBJECT: Ridgeway Greenway - Proposed Street Closures
INFORMATION
The General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of
Community Planning submit this report for INFORMATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
On July 18, 1995, Council approved the Vancouver Greenways Plan,
including the selection of the portion of the Ridgeway Greenway on 37th
Avenue between Granville and Knight Streets as the City Greenway pilot
project.
On June 27, 1996, Council approved the construction of the Ridgeway
Greenway pilot project.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to inform Council of the additional public
comments staff obtained regarding the four Ridgeway Greenway street
closures after temporary closures were installed to assess changes in
local traffic patterns. This report also informs Council that
construction to make these closures permanent will begin this summer.
BACKGROUND
The design of the Ridgeway Greenway included an extensive public process
which took place over an eight month period. In general, the level of
public participation and support for this pilot project was high. The
Angus Reid Group was hired to conduct a telephone survey to determine
local neighbourhood support for the proposed traffic improvements,
especially the proposed street closures. Their survey showed that
overall support for the Greenway among the sample population between
33rd and 41st Avenues, and between Granville and Knight Streets was 85%.
The street closures proposed in the design received the following levels
of support:
Half-block street closure on Ontario south of 37th Avenue - not
supported (replaced with a traffic circle and corner bulges);
Street closure on 37th Avenue at Mountain View Cemetery, west of
Fraser Street - 71% support and 20% opposition from sample of
residents between Main and Fraser Streets (temporary closure
installed February 26, 1997);
Half-block street closure on 37th Avenue east of Fraser Street -
71% support and 15% opposition from sample of residents between
Main and Fraser Streets, and 84% support and 6% opposition from
sample of residents between Fraser and Knight Streets (temporary
closure installed February 26, 1997);
Half-block street closure on 37th Avenue east of Ross Street - 81%
support and 9% opposition from sample of residents between Fraser
and Knight Streets (temporary closure installed March 25, 1997);
and
Half-block street closure on 37th Avenue between Culloden and
Inverness Streets - 78% support and 9% opposition from sample of
residents between Fraser and Knight Streets (temporary closure
installed March 25, 1997).
On June 27, 1996, Council approved the design of the Ridgeway pilot
project for construction.
DISCUSSION
In order to assess changes in local traffic patterns and allow
additional comments from impacted neighbours, temporary closures were
installed on 37th Avenue west and east of Fraser Street on February 26,
1997, and on 37th Avenue east of Ross Street and west of Culloden Street
on March 25, 1997. Each temporary closure included information signage
to explain the proposal and invite public input. To date, a total of 35
phone calls and two letters (copies included in Appendix A) have been
received by staff, with calling rates substantially dropping off in the
past month.
The comments received are summarized below:
Street closure on 37th Avenue at Mountain View Cemetery, west of
Fraser Street - A total of 19 phone calls were received: 11
opposed to this closure, six in support, and two neutral callers
specifically expressing concerns about the shortcutting occurring
through the cemetery between 33rd and 37th Avenues as a result of
this closure.
Half-block street closure on 37th Avenue east of Fraser Street - A
total of six phone calls and one letter of support (Appendix A)
were received. Three of these calls were in support, two opposed,
and one expressed the need to address the problem of additional
traffic down their back lane as a result of this closure.
Half-block street closures on 37th Avenue east of Ross Street, and
west of Culloden Street - A total of 10 calls were received: six
in support, and four asking for further information and expressing
concerns about additional traffic in their lanes resulting from the
closures.
One letter supporting all the closures (Appendix A) was also
received.
Based upon these additional public comments, combined with the extensive
public process and Angus Reid survey, these four closures will now be
made permanent with some modifications to the original designs to
address the concerns expressed by local residents. The overall benefit
to the neighbourhoods in terms of adding green space, building
communities through neighbourhood projects, and traffic calming
outweighs the opposition resulting from automobile travel becoming
slightly less convenient for some residents.
The design for the closure west of Culloden Street was altered to
address concerns expressed by the adjoining property owner with regard
to the bench locations and lost parking. The street closure through the
cemetery has been changed, with the support of cemetery staff, to
prevent traffic from shortcutting through the cemetery. In addition,
staff have met with the cemetery consultants and revised the design for
this closure so that it offers enough flexibility to be integrated with
any future cemetery plans. The lanes next to the other three closures
are being monitored where local residents have expressed concerns about
shortcutting traffic. Traffic counts to date (approximately four months
after the initial installation of the temporary closures) indicate that
there is no shortcutting problem in these lanes. However, staff will
continue to monitor the situation after completion of the permanent
closures.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
Building the four street closures as part of the Ridgeway will further
this project's objectives in encouraging walking and cycling, providing
more greenery and decreasing reliance on storm sewers.
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The four street closures will create more appealing landscapes for local
residents and city greenway users, provide safe places for children to
play, and create local community gathering places. In addition, they
will enhance the Ridgeway Bikeway and eliminate traffic shortcutting
along 37th Avenue.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The funding required to construct these street closures was approved by
Council in June, 1996. Therefore, no additional funding is required at
this time. However, detailed designs have been revised to reduce
overall costs.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Construction of the four street closures along 37th Avenue is scheduled
to begin this summer.
CONCLUSION
Based upon the results of the Angus Reid survey and the additional
public comments received, construction of the four street closures
should proceed with some minor modifications to the original designs.
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