REPORT TO STANDING COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & TRAFFIC

BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

January 4, 1999

RECOMMENDATION

1. University Boulevard Bike Lanes

CC File: 5553
RTS: 447

At its meeting on November 18, 1998, the Bicycle Advisory Committee reviewed UBC's plan to reconfigure University Boulevard by eliminating one lane of traffic in each direction to provide one 3.65 metre-wide traffic lane and a 1.9 metre-wide bicycle lane in each direction. The Committee supports the UBC proposal for bicycle lanes on University Boulevard, as presented to them by Engineering Services staff, with some suggestions for improvements.

In the vicinity of bus stops, the UBC proposal includes additional widening into the median to increase the bike lane/bus stop width to 3 metres, which will require cyclists to merge into traffic in order to get around stopped busses. The Committee would prefer sufficient widening at bus stop areas to allow bicycles to pass stopped busses without having to merge into the adjacent travel lane.

At Blanca Street, where University Boulevard transitions into the narrower 10th Avenue, the UBC proposal ends the east-bound bike lane approximately 60 metres before the intersection, at which point it becomes a regular vehicular lane where bikes share the space. The Committee would prefer to have the bike lane end just east of Blanca Street, allowing cyclists to cross the intersection in the bike lane, and then merge with traffic after the intersection.

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The Bicycle Advisory Committee therefore

RECOMMENDS

THAT Vancouver City Council be advised that the Bicycle Advisory Committee strongly supports the proposal from UBC regarding bike lanes on University Boulevard; and

FURTHER THAT sufficient widening at bus stops is suggested so bikes can safely pass stopped busses without going into the adjacent travel lane; and

FURTHER THAT the bike lane extend across the Blanca intersection eastbound.

(Signed) "Robert Delahanty"

Robert Delahanty, Chair

Bicycle Advisory Committee

COMMENTS OF THE CITY MANAGER:

The City Manager submits the recommendation from the Bicycle Advisory Committee for Council's consideration.

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver