REPORT TO COUNCIL

BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

JUNE 17, 1998

RECOMMENDATION

1. Painted Bicycle Lanes

Purpose

To determine the first routes for painted bicycle lanes in the City of Vancouver.

Background

The Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) requested the Bicycle Network Sub Committee (BNSC) to address the issue of Painted Bicycle Lanes to determine which streets should be used as the preliminary routes in Vancouver. The BNSC took two steps in determining the first routes.

First, the criteria for the first Painted Bike Lanes was discussed and it was determined that the City should choose a route that will make a difference to cyclists and be embraced by the community that it serves, so that it will build momentum for future routes. To meet these needs the following criteria were put forward in choosing the first route.

a) Painted Bike Lanes should be arterials. They would be wasted on streets which are already relatively benign for cyclists and would be of most assistance on routes where motorized traffic is felt to be menacing - this would also create the highest visibility for Painted Bike Lanes.

b) The first routes should disrupt as little parking as possible. This will reduce the need to test the political will to remove parking until the momentum to have bike lanes has built up among the stakeholders of the community.

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Clause No. 1 Continued

c) The first routes should increase cycling on those routes.

d) The first routes should be as close to standard as possible. This will allow us to start this program without making compromises at the beginning and always strive to create the safest routes possible.

e) The first routes should be easy to do. This will allow them to be built quickly and expeditiously. Generally this means choosing routes which will require more paint and less concrete and asphalt.

f) The first routes should meet the objectives of the City of Vancouver Transportation Plan.

The Sub-committee identified 24 streets as possible initial routes as set out in Appendix A. Additionally it was suggested that opportunities may exist along Broadway and Georgia because both streets will undergo major construction in the next five years due to the ALRT and the Lion's Gate Bridge.

The top six most popular routes for initial bicycle lanes are (in no particular order):

Dunbar Street
Pacific Boulevard
Howe/Hornby
King Edward Avenue
(SW Marine/Marine Drive)
49^th Avenue
16^th Avenue

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Clause No. 1 Continued

Discussion

Following meetings among the BAC, BNSC and Staff to discuss the preferred initial routes, two routes are recommended to be the first painted bike routes Downtown and Uptown:

1a) Dunbar

Benefits: Adequate width to accommodate bike lanes without road widening.

No need to strip parking.
There is no duplication of an existing route and it is in an area that is deficient in bike routes.

It is a good connection between five routes (Marine Drive/UBC, Ridgeway, Midtown, Off Broadway and Seaside bike routes).

Draw Backs: None (If this route can't be painted none can)

1b) Expo/Pacific Blvd. (Adanac and Ontario Bikeways to Richards Street)

Benefits: Adequate width to accommodate bike lanes without road widening.

No need to strip parking.

There is no duplication of an existing route and it is in an area that is deficient in bike routes.
It is a good connection to extend the Adanac Bikeway into the Downtown core and possibly link up with the Concord Site and Beach Avenue/Seaside Bikeway.

Draw Backs: The proposed tram system alignment has not been determined yet and may interfere with the bike lanes ( a report will go to Council in July indicating if there will be a conflict).

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Clause No. 1 Continued

All other routes have a negative aspect which either makes them expensive or requires some political will to make them happen (e.g. stripping parking) so are not recommended for an initial project, but suggested as future routes (see Appendix B).

The Bicycle Advisory Committee, therefore,

RECOMMENDS

THAT Council be requested to direct Engineering Services staff to work with the Bicycle Network Sub-Committee to expedite the design of painted bike lanes on:

· Dunbar Street
· Expo/Pacific Boulevard

for installation as soon as possible and no later than is necessary for submission to the Provincial Cycling Network Program this December.

"Robert Delahanty"

Chair

Bicycle Advisory Committee

APPENDIX A

STREETS CONSIDERED FOR BICYCLE LANES

1) King Edward Avenue (Dunbar to Kingsway)
2) Dunbar Street (Marine Drive to Point Grey Road)
3) Marine Drive (Boundary to U.B.C.)
4) Pender Street (West of Burrard)
5) Pacific Boulevard (Quebec to Richards)
6) Nelson Street
7) Howe Street
8) Hornby Street
9) Richards Street
10) Homer Street
11) Main Street
12) Renfrew Street (McGill to Earles)
13) Drake Street
14) Alberni Street
15) Seymour Street
16) Burrard Street
17) Smithe Street
18) West Hastings
19) Cornwall/Point Grey Road
20) Beach
21) Victoria Drive/Commercial Drive
22) Kingsway
23) 49th Avenue (Vivian Street to Angus Drive)
24) 16th Avenue (Blanca to Cypress)

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APPENDIX B

OTHER ROUTES CONSIDERED FOR INITIAL BICYCLE LANES

1) 16th Avenue (Blanca to Arbutus)

Benefits: Adequate width to accommodate bike lanes without road widening

No need to strip parking

It is a good connection between three routes (Cypress, Ridgeway and UBC)

Draw Backs: There is duplication of an existing route and a proposed route (Off - Broadway and 14^th Avenue)

16th and Blenheim has a high cyclist accident rate that could be used as a pretext to argue against routes in the future

2) King Edward Avenue (Dunbar to Ontario)

Benefits: No need to strip parking

It is a good connection between two routes (Ontario and Cypress bike routes)

Draw Backs: There is duplication of an existing route (37th Avenue)

The curb is in need of repaving (expensive)

Inadequate width to accommodate bike lanes without road widening

3) Hornby Street

Benefits: There is no duplication of an existing route and it is in an area that is deficient in bike routes

It is a good connection between routes (Burrard Bridge, Seaside)

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Appendix B - 2

Hornby Street (Cont'd)

Draw Backs: Inadequate width to accommodate bike lanes without road widening

Need to strip parking

4) Howe Street

Benefits: There is no duplication of an existing route and it is in an area that is deficient in bike routes

It is a good connection between routes (Burrard Street, Beach Avenue)

Draw Backs: Inadequate width to accommodate bike lanes without road widening

Need to strip parking

5) 49th Avenue

Benefits: There is no duplication of an existing route and it is in an area that is deficient in bike routes

It is a good connection between routes (Cypress, Ontario, Marine Drive)

Draw Backs: Inadequate width to accommodate bike lanes without road widening

Need to strip parking

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver