High Occupancy Vehicle Network

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: April 13, 1999

Author/Local: R. Malkin/7745
RTS No. 563
CC File: 5762-1

T&T: April 27, 1999

TO: Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services in Consultation with the Director of City Plans

SUBJECT: High Occupancy Vehicle Network for the Greater Vancouver Region

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT the following potential measures to improve transit travel times and reliability be reviewed in more detail:

- Bus/HOV Lane on Hastings Street, between Renfrew Street and the Downtown, in the AM peak period westbound, and PM peak period eastbound.

- Various discrete transit priority measures including signal priority and bus bulges on selected sections of Main, Fraser and Burrard Streets.

B. THAT the 25% City share of a consultant study for the review in Recommendation “A” above, up to a maximum of $25,000, be provided from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account No. 30000169 - Bus Bulges.

C. THAT property owners along Hastings Street from Renfrew Street to the Downtown be informed of, and have an opportunity to provide input into, the study regarding the potential bus/HOV lane on Hastings Street, and that directly affected property owners be consulted on any discrete priority measures that may emerge from the study.

D. THAT staff report back to Council on the conclusions of these studies.
COUNCIL POLICY

Council approved guidelines for the implementation of Bus and HOV lanes as a follow-up to Clouds of Change. January 1993

Council supported the GVRD report Transport 2021 which includes the use of a high occupancy vehicle network as part of the Transportation Demand Management initiative. April 1994

Council approved the Transportation Plan which included:

3.4(5) Transit priority measures to speed up buses will be provided as needed. Measures may include bus bulges, queue jumpers and bus priority at some traffic signals. Bus-only lanes will be provided on selected routes if and when they become warranted by the increase in vehicle traffic. (Actions T2 and T6)

May 1997

PURPOSE

This report provides an update on the process to identify potential transit priority measures in the City and recommends approval of steps to further the process.

BACKGROUND

The B.C. Transportation Financing Authority (BCTFA), Ministry of Transportation and Highways (MOTH), BC Transit, GVRD, GVTA, and ICBC have initiated a process to implement a number of key transit priority and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) projects in the Lower Mainland. This is a 10-year funding program, with current plans for the BCTFA to spend about $2 million in 1999/2000. It is expected project costs would be shared 50% BCTFA, 25% GVTA, and 25% by the local municipalities.

On April 7, 1998, Council reviewed a list of potential projects in the City of Vancouver (Appendix A). There were concerns expressed by Council and the public about the need for some of these projects, and Council directed:

THAT the Planning and Engineering Services Departments of the City work with the BC Transportation Financing Authority and BC Transit on the study of transit/HOV and related measures included in, but not limited to, the locations and specifics noted in Appendix A of the Administrative Report dated March 25, 1998 [Appendix A of this report], with a report back to Council containing recommendations and priorities; and

FURTHER THAT staff also report back to Council with an outline for the public consultation program to be used by Council in implementing recommendations and priorities.

This report addresses these recommendations.

PRELIMINARY REVIEW

Subsequent to April 1998, BC Transit hired a consultant to review the list of projects in Appendix A. The purpose was to identify the benefits of these projects, to further identify other potential transit priority measures on the major transit corridors in the City, and to prioritize potential projects for further detailed technical study.

This review is now complete and available in the City Clerk’s office. It examines potential transit priority measures on 14 City arterial streets (see Appendix B for the corridors that were considered). The review includes a preliminary cost/benefit screening of measures on corridors with treatments including bus lanes, queue jumpers, and transit signal priority. Capital costs and potential benefits to transit passengers and transit operating costs during the peak periods were estimated very approximately based on field tests and experience in other cities. Disbenefits to other travel modes and transit in other corridors were not identified.

Based on the report and further discussions with BC Transit and the consultant, the following projects emerged as the best candidates for more detailed analysis:

1. Bus/HOV Lane on Hastings Street, between Renfrew Street and the Downtown, in the AM peak period westbound, and PM peak period eastbound.

This measure could potentially benefit travel times and reliability for 10 bus routes and about 50 buses per hour. No on-street retail parking would be lost. There is no single family residential property abutting the route.

2. Various discrete transit priority measures on selected sections of: Main, Fraser and Burrard Streets.

More routine localized measures, for example, adjusting signal timings to favour buses, or installing wider sidewalks at bus stops (bus bulges), could improve transit operation and reliability.

The study also concluded that a number of the proposals identified in April 1998 (Appendix A), including South West Marine Drive from 49th Avenue to Dunbar Street/41st Avenue, were not warranted and have been dropped from further consideration.

NEXT STEP

If we are to proceed further, a more detailed study is required in order to confirm the benefits of a Bus/HOV lane on Hastings Street and the smaller less intrusive measures on the other corridors identified, and to evaluate the impacts on land use, other travel modes and transit in other corridors.

The GVTA is preparing its capital budget for 1999. This budget includes potential transit priority projects for cost sharing. City staff have proposed a preliminary request for a $100,000 consultant study to identify specific transit improvement measures as discussed above. The City would administer the study jointly with the GVTA and ensure that the study provides sufficient information for Council to make a decision.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Funds to cover the 25% City share of this study up to a maximum of $25,000 are available from Streets Basic Capital Unappropriated Account No. 30000169 - Bus Bulges.

PUBLIC PROCESS

The concerns regarding the Vancouver/Richmond RapidBus process illustrated the need to involve the public early in major transit priority measure initiatives. Therefore, it is recommended property owners along Hastings Street be included in the next step of the review process.

Other less intrusive transit priority measures on other corridors may only require direct consultation with adjacent property owners.

CONCLUSION

Staff will proceed with the study regarding potential transit priority measures as discussed above and report to Council once the consultant study is completed.

NOTE FROM CLERK: ELECTRONIC COPIES OF APPENDIX A AND B NOT AVAILABLE - COMPLETE COPIES OF REPORT AVAILABLE FROM CITY CLERK’S OFFICE.

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