CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON

TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

JULY 29, 1997

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, July 29, 1997, at approximately 11:45 a.m., in Committee Room No. 1, Third Floor, City Hall, following the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meeting, to consider the recommendations of the Committee.

PRESENT:	Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Jennifer Clarke (Leave of Absence) Councillor Lynne Kennedy
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL:	Denise Salmon

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

SECONDED by Cllr. Price,

THAT this Council resolve itself into Committee of the Whole, Mayor Owen in the chair.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Report of Standing Committee on

Transportation and Traffic

July 29, 1997

Council considered the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in the following clauses of the attached report:

Cl.1: Proposed Ridgeway/37th/29th Avenue Bicycle Route

Cl.2: Ridgeway Greenway - Knight to Victoria Drive

Cl.3: Policy Discussion - Funding and Governance of the

Regional Transportation System

Clauses 1-3

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the recommendations of the Committee, as contained in Clauses 1-3 of this report, be approved.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

RISE FROM COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the Committee of the Whole rise and report.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ADOPT REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

SECONDED by Cllr. Chiavario,

THAT the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 11:50 a.m.

* * * * *

REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

ON TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

JULY 29, 1997

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Transportation and Traffic was held on Tuesday, July 29, 1997, at approximately 9:30 a.m. in the No. 1 Committee Room, Third Floor, City Hall.

PRESENT:	Councillor Gordon Price (Chair) Mayor Philip Owen Councillor Don Bellamy Councillor Nancy A. Chiavario Councillor Jennifer Clarke Councillor Alan Herbert Councillor Lynne Kennedy Councillor Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor George Puil Councillor Sam Sullivan
ABSENT:	Councillor Jennifer Clarke (Leave of Absence)
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL:	Denise Salmon

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

The Minutes of the Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic meetings of June 17, June 24, and July 8, 1997, were adopted.

RECOMMENDATION

1. Proposed Ridgeway/37th/29th Avenue Bicycle Route File: 5553/5767

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated July 10, 1997, (on file) in which the General Manager of Engineering Services sought approval for the implementation of the Ridgeway/37th/29th Avenue Bicycle Route. Funds were also sought for a comprehensive review of all existing bikeways.

Clause 1 Cont'd

Doug Louie, Neighbourhood Transportation Branch, Engineering Services, provided Council with an overview of the report, and with the aid of renderings, described the route and planned related improvements. The following issues were noted:

·due to lack of neighbourhood support, the western portion of the route will jog at Collingwood to 39th Avenue, thereby avoiding Southlands School

·diverters at Larch and Mackenzie were not well supported, and therefore not included

·route options at Jones Park, located at Victoria and Commercial, are still under discussion with the Park Board

Nevin Fishman, area resident, noted:

·his support for the bikeway and the jog to 39th at Collingwood, which avoids Southlands School, and a potentially dangerous situation

·historically, the bikeway had been depicted on 39th Avenue, which allows for connection to UBC via the Marine Drive bicycle route

Susan Zonailo, Chairperson - PAC, Southlands School, advised:

·of her concern with the method used to survey area residents; she suggested surveys be distributed to property owners, not renters

·she supported 39th Avenue for the western portion of the route

·Southlands School is currently working on a Safe Routes to School Program, in consultation with the PAC, Principal of Southlands, and City Engineering and Planning staff

·many children use 39th Avenue on their way to school; after the above noted program is in effect, additional traffic calming and signage should be considered

·the name of the bike route should be Midtown to avoid confusion

Council members discussed the following issues:

·alternatives for traffic calming, other than traffic circles, with note from staff speed humps will be reported on in the fall; diverters are generally not favoured bycommunities

·City policy regarding neighbourhood notification process; Engineering staff advised costs for a mail out to property owners would be significant, with response delays anticipated from owners living off-shore; neighbourhood mail drops are the preferred notification method

Clause 1 Cont'd

·the need for a consistent name for the entire bicycle route to avoid confusion; staff advised this item would be forwarded to the Greenways consultant for input

·the possibility of Engineering, School Board and Park Board working together toward developing a comprehensive vehicle/bicycle safety awareness program for children, to be available at both community centres and schools

·the possibility of improving the signage installed at traffic circles; staff advised National Standards must be followed, and this concern would be brought before the National Safety Council by Engineering staff representatives

·concern with need for parking enforcement adjacent traffic circles

The following motion by Councillor Chiavario was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A.THAT the Ridgeway/37th/29th Avenue Bicycle Route be constructed as detailed in this report;

FURTHER THAT finding a consistent name for the bicycle route be explored by appropriate staff.

B.THAT $241,000 from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 12/31/6903/999 (Bicycle Network) be allocated for construction of the Ridgeway/37th/29th Avenue Bike Route, and a further $122,500 be transferred from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 12/31/6903/999 (Bicycle Network) to reimburse Streets Basic Capital Unallocated Account 12/31/6801/999 (Greenways Pilot Project).

C.THAT $50,000 from Greenways Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 12/31/6906/999 be allocated for the construction of a portion of the route and the installation of new lights along portions of the Ridgeway Greenway/Bikeway.

D.THAT staff work with Park Board staff to develop an appropriate bike route in the vicinity of Jones Park.

Clause 1 Cont'd

E.THAT the annual signal maintenance budget be increased by $10,000 for the maintenance of five new cyclist/ pedestrian actuated signals, the annual streets maintenance budget be increased by $5,000 for ten traffic circles and the sign maintenance budget be increased by $6,000 for approximately 330 new signs proposed along the new bike route, all without offset, starting in 1998. The annual streets maintenance budget can be reduced by $400 for each traffic circle adopted by residents, for a total possible reduction of $4,000.

F.THAT staff investigate the possibility of upgrading the existing pedestrian actuated signal at West 37th Avenue and West Boulevard to a full signal, together with appropriate traffic calming measures determined through community consultation.

G.THAT $30,000 from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account 12/31/6903/999 (Bicycle Network) be allocated for a comprehensive review of all existing bikeways.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

(Councillor Puil was not present for the vote)

2. Ridgeway Greenway - Knight Street to Victoria Drive File: 5767

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated July 11, 1997, (on file) in which the General Manager of Engineering Services sought Council approval for the funding and construction of the Ridgeway Greenway east from Knight Street to Victoria Drive. Items of the report have been fully coordinated with Bikeways staff to enhance the bike route and to complement Provincially cost-shared Bikeway construction.

Peter Bremner, Greenways and Local Improvement Engineer, provided Council with an overview of the report, and with the aid of diagrams highlighted different features of the route.

In response to questions from Council staff noted:

·staff continue to work with the Park Board to resolve details of the route around or through Jones Park; 72% of residents surveyed favour a route through the Park

·Park Board has concerns with proximity of the Greenway to the Park's soccer field

Clause 2 Cont'd

·invitations to an open house on this project were delivered door to door to residents between 35th and 39th Avenues and Knight to block east of Victoria Drive

The following motion by Mayor Owen was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A.THAT the Ridgeway Greenway extension from Knight Street to Victoria Drive be constructed as described in this report;

B.THAT funding of $170,000 be allocated from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account No. 12/31/6906/999 (City Greenways) for construction of the Ridgeway Greenway between Knight Street and Victoria Drive; and

C.THAT the Streets Basic Operating Budget be increased by $1,000 without offset, for the maintenance of the medians proposed in this report, starting in 1998.

3. Policy Discussion - Funding and Governance

of the Regional Transportation System File: 5500

The Committee had before it a Policy Report dated June 10, 1997, (on file) in which the General Manager of Engineering notes the GVRD has entered into negotiations with the Province on the funding and governance of the regional transportation network for all modes. The purpose of the report is:

·to document the historical development of Council policy on this issue

·to document the negotiating principles

·to provide the status of the current negotiations

·to propose certain models for discussion

Wayne Pledger, Strategic Transportation Planning, Engineering Services, provided highlights of the report and introduced Clive Rock, Administrator, Transportation Planning, GVRD.

Clause 3 Cont'd

With the aid of overheads, Mr. Rock provided the history and highlights on Funding and Governance of the Regional Transportation System. He noted the overall objective is to reform governance and funding for transit, major roadways, and transportation demand management in Greater Vancouver to promote the development and implementation of a transportation plan which meets the objectives of the Province and GVRD as outlined in Going Places and the Livable Regional Strategic Plan.

Points raised included:

·the Livable Region Strategic Plan, although in place is not meeting its targets

·GVRD has the highest car ownership in Canada, and lowest supply of transit

·the area's car fleet is growing at the rate of two and one-half cars per hour -- matched by the live births in the region

·travel times are increasing, with congestion the number one issue

·a co-operative transit model is being considered which would allow increased opportunities for local influence over local service operations within a regional framework; funding from a regional agency for all services would be dispensed in accordance with municipalities' main priorities

·negotiations appear to be proceeding on schedule, with refinement to financial information, and agreement hoped for in September

Peter Ladner, Chair, VCPC Transportation Sub-Committee, (brief filed) discussed:

·an adequate method of raising funds for mass transit alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle, and recommended:

-reward density

-go local (bring debt and planning responsibilities down to the local level)

- reward SOV alternatives

-convert roads from cost centres to revenue producers

-promote transit efficiency with private competition

-spend where it counts

-don't wait for the millennium

Council members discussed the following:

·the need to keep the public informed

·the need for consensus from the municipalities at the GVRD level prior to going to the public

Clause 3 Cont'd

·the GVRD does not want toll monies allocated to specific projects, but rather all monies into one pot to satisfy all municipalities

·the importance of retiring the debt on SkyTrain

The following motion by Mayor Owen was put and carried. The Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDED

A.THAT the statement of principles for transportation governance and funding, as shown in Appendix B, be endorsed.

B.THAT the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) be requested to develop further the co-operative model of governance.

C.THAT the GVRD be requested to give a higher priority to communicating with the general public in its consultation program.

D.THAT the brief dated July 1997 (distributed at the meeting), from the Vancouver City Planning Commission, entitled "Paying for the Transportation System We Need" be distributed for the information of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD).

The Committee adjourned at 11:45 a.m. * * * * *

(c) 1997 City of Vancouver