CITY OF VANCOUVER

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON

TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

MAY 12, 1998

A Regular Meeting of the Council of the City of Vancouver was held on Tuesday, May 12, 1998, at approximately 11:30 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 Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor Gordon Price Councillor George Puil
ABSENT:	Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Civic Business) Councillor Sam Sullivan
CLERK TO THE COUNCIL:	Denise Salmon

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

SECONDED by Cllr. Chiavario,

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

May 12, 1998

Council considered the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in the following clause of the attached report:

Cl.1: Broadway-Lougheed Light Rapid Transit Alignment Options

MOVED by Cllr. Bellamy,

THAT the recommendation of the Committee, as contained in Clause 1 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. Herbert,

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

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Council adjourned at 11:36 a.m.

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REPORT TO COUNCIL

STANDING COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

ON TRANSPORTATION AND TRAFFIC

MAY 12, 1998

A Regular Meeting of the Standing Committee of Council on Transportation and Traffic was held on Tuesday, May 12, 1998, at approximately 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room No. 1, 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 Daniel Lee Councillor Don Lee Councillor George Puil
ABSENT:	Councillor Lynne Kennedy (Civic Business) Councillor Sam Sullivan
CLERK TO THE COMMITTEE:	Denise Salmon

RECOMMENDATION

1. Broadway-Lougheed Light Rapid Transit

Alignment Options File: 5559

The Committee had before it an Administrative Report dated April 30, 1998 (on file), in which the General Manager of Engineering Services and Director of City Plans reviewed preliminary background information on potential alignment options suggested by the Provincial LRT Project Team and recommended reducing the number of options to be studied.

Ian Adam, Assistant City Engineer, Transportation, provided Council with an overview of the report, and advised LRT Project Team representatives will be present at thenext meeting on the subject.

With the aid of schematics and artist renderings Frank Ducote, Planner, outlined proposed route options with variations, and demonstrated various street space alternatives for the system, which are currently in use in other cities.

The following points were noted during discussion:

·the importance of chosen terminus location, and potential need for a city block for the project, including cost of land involved

·advantages and disadvantages of street space placement of the system, including lines on one or both sides of the street, and a raised platform down the middle of the street

·LRT consultants are currently working on potential ridership breakdowns for each station, including existing housing unit count, employment base and existing capacity for rezoning

·the need to determine where major demand for the system will occur, type of system most effective for the area's needs, i.e. local service or commuter line

·capacity of the proposed system, and the need to ensure materials and system chosen are compatible with upgrades to serve the area well into the future

·the BNR corridor versus the Broadway corridor has fewer utilities, however the Cut would need to be stabilized

·potential for Pacific Central (old CN Station) as one end destination, as it provides numerous intermodal transfer links to the city's core and beyond

·the need for a tunnel in the Main Street area due to narrow width of the street

·assurance required from BC Transit bus and trolley service will not be removed

·need to address transfer of riders disembarking at western terminus en route to UBC

·decision made at today's meeting will be taken back to the LRT Design Team for further study, resulting in a detailed work plan and anticipated public participation program

·consideration must be given to type of warning system used by LRT at major thoroughfare crossings, especially at night and in residential and hospital areas

·Council-approved "Proposed Principles for LRT Planning Vancouver" (Appendix A of the Manager's Report dated April 30, 1998) requires elaboration to ensure intent is not lost or misinterpreted, including track noise mitigation, assurance the LRT system will not reduce local transit service, and examination of rear access to businesses on a temporary basis

Guy Wera, Transit Users Group (TUG) Intermodal Representative

·placement of the system down the middle of the street is preferred option as allowsfor segregation from car traffic and increased efficiency; mid-street elevated station platforms also act as speed humps to slow traffic

·need to consider potential noise from system, especially when negotiating curves and resultant negative impact on neighbourhood

·Broadway Corridor affords the straightest route, which allows for more efficient travel and less noise, as well as potential to eliminate diesel buses on Broadway

·99 B-Line RapidBus should be moved to 12th Avenue, providing a direct route to UBC

·the need for a system accessible to wheelchairs, bicycles, strollers and with capacity for transporting goods -- which could help eliminate service vehicles

·the need to look beyond the United States at systems more appropriate for Vancouver's needs

·suggested utilizing rail links already in place in the city

·noted construction of a western terminus at Granville or Arbutus would be costlier than extending the route to UBC

Dave Harlow, Independent Canadian Transit Union (ICTU)

·noted the 99 B-Line RapidBus was meant to be an addition to trolleys along Broadway; however BC Transit has removed buses along this route

·if LRT utilizes the Broadway corridor both the 99 B-Line and the trolley system along this corridor will be eliminated and remaining service reduced by BC Transit

·ICTU supports LRT, and suggests the BNR/Cut corridor as its preferred option, with note transit service levels would not be impacted

·the need for a commitment from BC Transit to not cut current bus service levels

·LRT must function as a commuter rail to maintain B-line RapidBus and trolley service

·with the exception of a mid-street LRT system, one lane will be occupied by trolleys, and one by parking, resulting in a single lane of traffic in both directions along Broadway

Council members confirmed no specific routes had yet been identified, but rather short-listed route options with variations would receive further study.

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

RECOMMENDED

THAT the following potential alignment options not be studied further and beremoved from further consideration for the Broadway-Lougheed LRT project:

·East of Broadway/Commercial Station

-Grandview Highway/12th Avenue

·West of Broadway/Commercial Station

-12th Avenue

-back alleys, north or south of Broadway

-2nd Avenue/6th Avenue

-False Creek Rail Line

-Terminal Avenue

-10th Avenue east of Yukon

-8th Avenue west of Ash;

FURTHER THAT the LRT Study Team be requested to examine a connection from Great Northern Way to Pacific Central Station in their detailed study plan.

- CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Committee adjourned at 11:30 a.m.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver