ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: July 17, 1998
Author/Local: Peter Stary/6437
CC File No. 5553

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Bicycle Lanes on Dunbar Street and Pacific Boulevard

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Engineering Services staff work with the Bicycle Network Sub-Committee and with Planning Department staff to investigate the feasibility of painted bicycle lanes on Dunbar Street (in conjunction with the Community Vision process) and Pacific/Expo Boulevards (in conjunction with the urban design review of Pacific Boulevard and with the Downtown Transportation Plan), with report back to the Bicycle Advisory Committee and to City Council.

COUNCIL POLICY

In May 1997, Council approved the Transportation Plan which emphasized the need to improve cycling and pedestrian environments.

In 1992, Council approved the development of a City-wide bicycle route network that included both commuter and recreational bicycle routes.

The Vancouver Comprehensive Bicycle Plan (1988) and the Clouds of Change Report (1990) established the City's policy of promoting and encouraging cycling as a transportation alternative.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to respond to the Bicycle Advisory Committee's report dated June 17, 1998, recommending the implementation of bicycle lanes on arterial streets and to recommend appropriate action.

BACKGROUND

The City of Vancouver's Transportation Plan supports the concept of bicycle lanes and recommends the provision of bicycle lanes on selected arterial streets subject to report back on routes and funding. The Bicycle Advisory Committee's report recommends the installation of bicycle lanes on Dunbar Street and on Pacific/Expo Boulevards. Both Dunbar Street and Pacific Boulevard are identified in the Transportation Plan as streets that have potential for increased priority for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users.

DISCUSSION

The two identified routes, Dunbar Street and Pacific/Expo Boulevards, are attractive in that both have the potential for the provision of bicycle lanes without the removal of much existing on-street parking. Both routes represent logical links in the City's bicycle network and each would connect to several existing routes.

The Dunbar neighbourhood is presently involved in a pilot of the Community Vision process. Bicycle lanes on Dunbar Street were among the amenities suggested by community members engaged in this process and were included in the surveys sent to all neighbourhood residents and businesses. However, community support for bicycle lanes is uncertain. Although 1½ times as many respondents voted for as voted against, when neutral votes are included the approval percentage for this measure falls below the 56 % threshold determined by the Planning Department to constitute significant neighbourhood support. Consequently, it is recommended that Engineering Services work with the Planning Department to explore the suitability of bicycle lanes in the community while at the same time supporting the principles of the Community Vision process. This may require more time than is available by the 1998 deadline for cost sharing applications to the provincial Cycling Network Program.

In regard to Pacific and Expo Boulevards, at the June 25, 1998 meeting of the Planning and Environment Committee, when dealing with a rezoning report concerning the Beach Neighbourhood Area 1A, Council moved "that Planning and Engineering staff report back on an urban design review of the relevant portion of Pacific Boulevard so it can be completed in time for the report back on the tramway". Discussion around this motion included mention of improvements for pedestrians and cyclists as well as street trees and otherplantings. Staff recommend that the provision of bicycle lanes on Pacific and Expo Boulevards be considered in the review of Pacific Boulevard, expected to be presented to Council by October, 1998, and be included in the Downtown Transportation Plan, expected to be completed in 1999. If bicycle lanes are recommended and approved in the review of Pacific Boulevard, their implementation could serve as a trial and a demonstration project for the future expansion of bicycle lanes in the downtown, which will be considered as part of the Downtown Transportation Plan. Approval of Pacific Boulevard bicycle lanes by October would provide enough time to apply for provincial cost sharing by the deadline in late autumn.

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver