Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Bike Lanes on University Boulevard

 

RECOMMENDATION

POLICY

During the development of the official community plan for the University of British Columbia, City Council requested specific measures to result in an overall reduction of 20% in 24 hour vehicle travel to and from UBC.

Council supported adoption of the Official Community Plan for UBC, subject to, among other things, the preparation and implementation of a comprehensive transportation management strategy.

PURPOSE

The University of British Columbia is proposing to improve bicycle access to the University by modifying the function of University Boulevard from two general purpose moving lanes in each direction to one general purpose lane and a bike lane. UBC has requested the City support this proposal.

The purpose of this report is to provide sufficient information to allow Council to respond to this request.

BACKGROUND

The University of British Columbia is presently developing an overall Transportation Plan that will address the transportation requirements of their Official Community Plan. At the same time, UBC, in consultation with other agencies, is proceeding on more detailed implementation of a number of discrete transportation demand management measures. One of these is the improvement to the bicycle environment through the implementation of bike lanes on University Boulevard between Blanca Street and the main campus. See Appendix A.

University Boulevard is the primary route for more than 50% of the over 3,000 cyclists travelling daily to and from the campus. The bicycle facility along University Boulevard is a two-way off-street pathway comprised of an old sidewalk (narrow and bumpy) adjacent the golf course and a somewhat wider and less bumpy facility adjacent Pacific Spirit Park. The facility is poorly lit.

The bike path ends and cyclists are detoured away from University Boulevard closer to the core of the campus, where University Boulevard is adjacent to residential and commercial land uses. Cyclists are required to take an indirect route via residential streets into the core of the campus.

There is little opportunity to economically widen the existing bike path on University Boulevard adjacent the golf course as it is constrained between the roadway and the adjacent golf course fence/hedge line.

In the medium term, University Boulevard will have to be rebuilt. The pavement and curbs have failed and drainage in many areas is poor. Ultimate reconstruction would present opportunities to design a roadway to current standards, including facilities for cyclists. In the interim, it is proposed to simply restripe the existing roadway from two substandard 9 foot wide moving lanes in each direction to one wider 12 foot wide moving lane for general purpose traffic including transit and a 6 foot wide bike lane. Minor widening would be done at bus stops to allow sufficient room for vehicles and bicycles to safely pass stopped buses. See Appendix B.

JURISDICTION

University Boulevard is a Ministry of Transportation and Highway (MOTH) roadway.

The Boulevard, and some other roads in Electoral Area "A" have been identified as Major Roads in the GVTA Major Road Network. Devolution of other roads in the Region has resulted in the municipality in which they lie assuming ownership. In the case of Electoral Area "A", this would mean that University Boulevard will be "owned" by Electoral Area "A", which is the responsibility of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. In other words, the ownership of the road remains with the Province, a somewhat unique affair.

A governance study of Electoral Area "A" is also underway. While no decision has been made yet, one of the options under consideration is that Electoral Area "A" could become part of the City of Vancouver. In this case, the City would become the owner of University Boulevard.

DISCUSSION

The proposal would appear to encourage the use of cycling to the University. Therefore, it is supportive of the goal to reduce vehicle volumes to the campus. The single, wider lane will also serve transit well.

One area of concern for the City of Vancouver is the effect this proposal would have on the intersection of 10th Ave./University Boulevard and Blanca Street, particularly in the westbound direction. Generally, two approach lanes in each direction accommodate all vehicle movements. There are no left turn bays. Overall, this intersection presently functions at about a level of service B, which represents a relatively stable flow of traffic with only the occasional traffic signal cycle overloaded.

A recent manual count of the Blanca and 10th intersection is shown in Appendix C. The greatest demand (about 850 vehicles per hour) ocurrs in the morning rush hour in the westbound direction.

It is proposed to reduce the westbound approach of 10th Ave. to Blanca Street from the existing two lane approach to one through (and right turn) lane and a mandatory left turn lane (Appendix B). This proposal has been analysed and the conclusion is that the overall level of service remains unchanged at level B.

There was some concern this proposal could result in excessive queuing along 10th Ave. However, observations of the present operation of the intersection revealed little queuing and that all traffic is able to pass through the intersection most of the times. Given the little queuing that exists now and the traffic signal analysis of the proposal suggesting a continued level of service B of the intersection, a one-lane approach to Blanca Street should not result in any significant backup of traffic towards the commercial district one block to the east. Nor should there be any shortcutting of traffic.

The Bicycle Advisory Committee has reviewed and support this proposal.

CONCLUSION

Staff conclude the proposal by UBC to restripe University Boulevard to accommodate cyclists on-street will not unduly affect traffic operation within the City. The proposal is consistent with the spirit of the Vancouver Transportation Plan and the University's Official Community Plan to emphasize cyclists, pedestrians and transit. BC Transit, the University Endowment Lands, the Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Ministry of Transportation and Highways and GVRD staff support the proposal.

Staff recommend Council support this proposal and so advise the University of British Columbia, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs (as possible future owner of the Boulevard), the Ministry of Transportation of Transportation and Highways (as present owner), the Board of the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (as overseer of the Major Road Network) and the Greater Vancouver Regional District (as overseer of the Official Community Plan).

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