Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee of Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Bike Lanes on Pender Street, West of Cambie Street

 

RECOMMENDATION

However, if Council wishes to proceed at this time, then either Consideration B1 or B2 should be approved, along with Recommendations C, D and E.

CONSIDERATION

RECOMMENDATION

GENERAL MANAGER OF ENGINEERING SERVICES' COMMENTS:

Although Council has indicated an interest to create bike lanes in the Downtown, the General Manger of Engineering Services is concerned that there has not been sufficient time to perform the needed detailed analysis and public consultation on this important issue. The recent resurfacing of Pender Street did not affect the curbs, so there is no opportunity lost by deferring the decision while these issues are addressed. Accordingly, I recommend "A", that the decision be deferred at this time. However, if Council wishes to proceed at this time, I would prefer Option "B2" on the basis of general traffic capacity, safety, and transit benefit , along with motions C, D and E.

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The City Manager RECOMMENDS A, which would ensure Council has the benefit of the full public consultation results and detailed analysis prior to making a decision on the bike lane options.

COUNCIL POLICY

The 1997 Transportation Plan emphasizes the need to provide more comfortable cycling and walking environments.
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 present two options for a trial of bike lanes on Pender Street between Cambie and Burrard Streets. This section of street is to be resurfaced and restriped after the Dedicated Fire Protection System is constructed this summer. A decision on this section of the Pender Street bike lanes could take advantage of this need to restripe the roadway between the existing curbs.

Proposals for the extension of the bike lanes west of Burrard Street would be reported back following further public consultation.

BACKGROUND

The City of Vancouver Transportation Plan, Comprehensive Bicycle Plan and Clouds of Change Report encourage cycling as a transportation alternative. The City has implemented over 100 kilometres of bikeways throughout the City; however few facilities have been provided in the Downtown area. On June 22, 1999, bike lanes were approved on Pender Street between Carrall and Cambie Streets as part of a redevelopment, and Council asked for an indication of how these could be extended westward. Because Pender Street is currently being excavated for the Dedicated Fire Protection System and will be restored over the summer, changes to the roadway configuration could be implemented now, rather than waiting until 2001 for completion of the Downtown Transportation Plan.

EXISTING PLANS

The City of Vancouver Bicycle Advisory Committee has a network sub-committee which advises on future bicycle routes in the City. This sub-committee has been looking at bicycle routes in the Downtown and has identified Pender Street as a high priority corridor. Pender Street provides an extension into the Downtown from the Adanac Bikeway to the east.

The Downtown Vancouver Association has developed a Downtown Transportation Plan with selection criteria and performance standards for bicycle routes (see Appendix "D"), which also indicates this portion of Pender Street as a bicycle route.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

In the short time-frame to conduct this process, public consultation was limited and responses are still being received at time of writing.

An Open House to solicit public comment on this proposal was held on July 5, 1999. In addition to a proposal (B1) for Pender Street between Cambie and Burrard Streets, two proposals were presented to deal with bike lanes on Pender Street west of Burrard Street. Generally participants supported Option "B1" between Cambie and Burrard Streets as presented at the Open House. Comments are included in Appendix "E". A suggestion was subsequently received to create bus-bicycle hybrid curb lanes on the section of Pender Street between Cambie and Seymour Streets (B2). This is the narrowest section (12.5 metres versus about 14.6 metres west of Granville Street) and creates the greatest challenge for introducing bike lanes.

Upon submission of this report, further discussions are underway with representatives of the Downtown Vancouver Association, Downtown Business Improvement Association, and TransLink. As well, participants who attended the Open House were subsequently asked for their comments on the proposal for hybrid bus-bicycle lanes. Comments from these stakeholders will be presented at the Committee meeting.

Some business representatives have expressed concern over the reduced roadway capacity.

DISCUSSION

Regarding the route in general, it is consistent with the Bicycle Network Sub-committee priorities. It is also included in the Downtown Vancouver Association's Downtown Transportation Plan (map, Appendix D).

Pender Street has two travel lanes in each direction, generally no parking anytime and no stopping during rush periods. With buses and other vehicles stopping in the curb lanes, the capacity of this section of Pender Street is often limited to one lane in each direction. At present, Pender Street between Cambie and Seymour Streets carries at most about:
- 700 vehicles per hour each direction in the morning peak period;
- 400 vehicles per hour westbound in the afternoon peak period; and
- 1,000 vehicles per hour eastbound in the afternoon peak period.

Bus volumes are:
- 74 per hour westbound in the morning peak period;
- 65 per hour westbound in the afternoon peak period; and
- 60 per hour eastbound in the peak periods.

Pender Street is wider west of Seymour Street (about 14.6 metres) than east of Seymour Street (about 12.5 metres). For the narrower section between Cambie and Seymour Streets, two options are proposed. Option "B1" provides eastbound and westbound bike lanes within the existing curbed roadway by eliminating a westbound travel lane. Option "B2" provides eastbound and westbound bus-bicycle hybrid lanes by excluding general traffic from the curb lanes. Removal of a general traffic lane will reduce the capacity of the street. Detailed analysis of this impact on the surrounding roadway system could not be conducted within the time available. However, some discussion of impacts and details on the proposals is contained in Appendices "A", "B" and "C".

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

An estimated funding of $75,000 is required for this project. The Provincial Cycling Network Program recently approved a grant to the City of Vancouver of about $350,000 for the Mosaic, Lakewood and Burrardview bikeways. This provides additional funding for this project, which is available from Streets Capital Unappropriated Account 30000130, Bicycle Network.

CONCLUSION
The resurfacing of Pender Street due to the construction of the Dedicated Fire Protection System provides an opportunity to add bike lanes on Pender Street between Cambie and Burrard Streets. Two Options are presented for Council's consideration. However, due to the limited time for detailed analysis and public consultation, the decision on bike lanes on Pender Street should be deferred until this analysis and consultation has been undertaken, at which time staff would report back to Council. This would allow further development of other options that may be more pedestrian friendly (i.e. trees, wider sidewalks).

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OPTION "B1"

PENDER STREET BIKE LANES

CAMBIE TO SEYMOUR STREETS

Impacts:

Option "B1" generally provides bike lanes by eliminating one westbound traffic lane, and reconfiguring the remaining three lanes.

This option is consistent with the City of Vancouver Transportation Plan in that it encourages alternate modes of transportation (i.e. cycling).

Westbound capacity - as Dunsmuir Street (next street to the south) has four westbound lanes, it is felt that sufficient westbound capacity can be maintained with only one westbound lane on the section of Pender Street between Cambie and Howe/Hornby Streets. There is a concern that, by providing only the one lane westbound, all traffic will be stopped whenever a bus stops at a bus zone. Some motorists and cyclists may attempt unsafe passing manoeuvers under this circumstance.

At some intersections, a lane is added for turning movements, as turning vehicles generally must wait for pedestrians. Dedicated turning lanes are proposed:
- eastbound to southbound at the Richards intersection. A dedicated right-turn only lane is provided. The bike lane is directed away from the curb to reduce conflicts.
- eastbound to northbound at the Seymour intersection. A dedicated left-turn bay is provided.

It is proposed that the eastbound bus zone, east of Seymour Street, be deleted because this is not a transfer point (no buses on Seymour Street) and there are nearby bus zones west of Granville Street and east of Richards Street.

Westbound cyclists are affected at the bus zones as they have to move out to pass the stopped buses (west of Hamilton Street and west of Richards Street).

OPTION "B2"

PENDER STREET BUS-BICYCLE HYBRID CURB LANES

CAMBIE TO SEYMOUR STREETS

Impacts:

Option "B2" would provide bus-bicycle hybrid curb lanes. This option is even more consistent with the City of Vancouver Plan because it encourages both cycling and transit by providing an exclusive lane for encouraging these modes of transportation.

This option maintains more of the westbound capacity for general traffic than Option "B1" because one general traffic lane is maintained. Eastbound capacity is reduced as there is only one lane for general traffic.

Cyclists would have to squeeze around the bus when it is stopped. Buses may try to overtake cyclists as the bus travels between stops.

PENDER STREET BIKE LANES

SEYMOUR TO BURRARD STREETS

Impacts:

Both Options "B1" and Option "B2" use the same alignment west of Seymour Street.

Because the pavement is wider, bicycle lanes can be accommodated along with four traffic lanes. However, these lanes are proposed to be reconfigured to match travel patterns. It is felt that one through lane westbound can be accommodated due to the four westbound lanes provided on Dunsmuir Street. The remaining lane would be used for bus stop, turns, etc. This configuration extends from Seymour to Howe/Hornby Streets. From Howe/Hornby west, the two travel lanes are provided, although the widths are revised to accommodate the bike lanes.

Due to turning demands, modifications are proposed at some intersections:
- westbound to southbound for buses at the Granville intersection. A dedicated left-turn bay is provided.
- eastbound to southbound at the Howe intersection. A dedicated right-turn lane is provided.
- westbound to southbound at the Burrard intersection. A dedicated left-turn bay is provided.

Changes in bus zones are proposed:
- move eastbound zone at Granville further west (midblock)
- delete westbound zone, east of Burrard Street

Westbound cyclists are affected at the bus zone east of Granville Street as they have to enter the general traffic lane to get around the stopped buses. Eastbound cyclists have a travel lane away from the curb to facilitate connections from the west of Burrard Street, the right-turning cars at Howe Street and the bus zone west of Granville Street.
Westbound at Hornby Street, the bike lane moves out to allow cyclists to pass a bus zone and a passenger zone which serves the Days Inn. If the passenger zone can be relocated onto Hornby Street, the bike lane could remain alongside the curb through this section. Staff will pursue this.

DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER ASSOCIATION

DOWNTOWN TRANSPORTATION PLAN - BICYCLE ROUTES

Selection Criteria:

1. Commuter oriented for destination at Waterfront Station by way of Burrard, Cambie and Lions Gate Bridges.

2. Non -arterial thoroughfares,

3. except for segregated paths on the specific bridge alignments mentioned.

Performance Standards:

1. Exclusive path - i.e. parking prohibited where curbside alignment is used,

2. Conspicuous well marked pathway,

3. Minimal stop/go interruptions i.e. "Yield", not "Stop" and limited and/or modified traffic lights.

POTENTIAL BIKE LANES FOR PENDER ST. - OPINION SURVEY

YES's

1. I would like to see bike lanes leading from Cambie & Granville bridges to the Pender St. bikeway and back to the bridges. Lots of people cycle over these bridges and would like safer access to the bikeway. The balance of the plan looks reasonable if drivers of autos and buses are made aware of the bikeway and traffic infractions are dealt with promptly and severely -i.e. loading zones, parking, etc. In future, I'd like to see Granville St. become a transit/bikeway route. We need a north/south route downtown. Thank you.

2. Delighted that we will soon be able to cycle through the city. Things are sounding very hopeful that the car will no longer be pandered to. Looking forward to a carfree downtown core.

3. Should allow for an increase in the number of cycle commuters from Strathcona into the C.B.D. - a good thing!!

4. Burrard-Cambie/One eastbound lane only with no parking. Give us one (at least) safe corridor in the downtown. A l:2 lane ratio is confusing to drivers and the addition of a bike lane will create further crowding on an already tight fit. W of Burrard: First Option - Parked cars create a hazard -- people not watching when they open their doors. If parking is allowed, then lanes should be widened to avoid opening cars. Otherwise, looks great!

5. Looks good - will link up nicely with Burrard.

6. Bravo! Long overdue!

7. When do we get a N-S bike lane in the downtown? I'm nervous about cycling between two moving lanes of traffic in order to avoid interfering with right turns. What about moving through the intersection with the pedestrians? I hope that this route will not be used as a reason for avoiding a waterfront bikeway. I will be interested in how this route will connect with all the other bikeways.

8. I strongly support moving quickly on this - refinement can come later as part of the implementation of recommendations from the Downtown Transportation study.

9. Great choice for 1st bikelane - it connects with my commute to work! Please ensure there is lots of attention paid to on road and name plate signage. Also make sure it connects to other bikeways - e.g., Adanac, and Quebec, Lions Gate. Keep the public and cycling community involved in the process. This bike lane is really needed. Thanks!

10. Great! Thanks! Make sure it connects to Adanac and other future bikeways downtown. Also make sure good connection to Stanley Park and Lions Gate Bridge. Be sure to involve key bicycle advocacy organizations in the planning and public outreach/communications.

11. I think the first option for Cardero to Burrard is better - no parking on one side of the street would be more aesthetically pleasing. I believe that these bike lanes will be better for the City - easier transportation and hopefully less bike accidents.

12. This will be a great improvement for downtown cycling - thanks.

13. I would like to see the Greenway extended in the future down this route. West of Burrard, I prefer the second Option but could live with the first Option.

14. I view this as an experiment. If a good connection is made to Adanac it opens the possibility for me of cycling to work.

15. Preference is for the second Option, west of Burrard. Enforcement and encouragement is important.

16. This would make the just announced section in Chinatown all the more useful, and facilitate access through downtown which is currently quite difficult.

17. Way to go! Keep up the good work! For the section west of Burrard, I would strongly encourage you to go to the second option.

18. Bus and car driver education is necessary, perhaps a bus ad/sign campaign about bike/bike lane awareness. Reminders/signage to tell motorists to look out for bikes when they open their doors. Increased illegal/double parking enforcement!! More bike racks!! Have a system of bike racks with ads on them (like at Sinclair Centre) so City can afford to pay for them.

19. Please ensure any bike lanes alongside parked cars are wide enough. Remember that may people drive hummers and other such idiotic vehicles and that many people are very bad drivers/parkers. Please ensure there is a system in place to allow cyclists to report cars parked in the bike lane. Ex) city staff could send letters to offending drivers. I strongly support this initiative and the sooner it's in place the better!

20. I would like to see no parking permitted along Pender Street at all (but don't give extra one to cars!)

21. I would hope that the `trial' length is long enough to let tempers subside.

22. I have concerns about the movement of cars/buses across bike lanes or bikes across vehicle traffic lanes in the sections where bikes move away from the curb lanes and cars get a right-turn lane. I think very careful consideration needs to be given to the safety of these bike lanes. I really want these bike lanes, and I also want to know that I can use them without getting killed by being cut off by a right-turning vehicle.

23. 1. It's so great to see the City wants to start getting bike lanes in the downtown. A whole network of downtown bike lanes would be even better. 2. A public awareness campaign for drivers, cyclists and transit drivers will be an important part of this project. Street banners similar to those on Georgia or in Chinatown emphasizing the bike lanes could be helpful. Notes on the bike maps for cyclists or pamphlets would be helpful for cyclists. Signs by the parking regulation signs for drivers saying "watch for cyclists" might help drivers to remember to look before opening their car doors.

24. Let's get going! Some trials of non-standard markings would be encouraging. Both Montreal and Portland use blue paint through difficult intersections to guide bikes and notify motorists. We need to go beyond "standards" - Vancouver is not a standard city!

25. This is exactly what is needed to start to improve access for cyclists in the downtown core. Prefer first Option for Cardero to Burrard overall. This is a great plan.

26. More bikeways please! Segregated bikeways will encourage timid riders to choose cycling more often.

27. This is an excellent idea.

28. I work for a small and growing software company. We are moving to 1140 Pender on June 19. Three of 15 people are avid cyclists. The rest of our employees have expressed an interest in cycling but will only cycle if safe facilities are created. Bike lanes on Pender are a must.

29. (a) Combined car and bus driver education about cyclists and cycle facilities/lanes in conjunction with any changes is essential. (B) More bike lanes - great! Help encourage us to spend our dollars in the Pender area by working with the Downtown Business Association to put in more, secure bike racks! (Great economic potential!) © This could be worth lots of transpo-enviro-green votes - go for it!

30. (a) Explore opportunities for street beautification benefitting residents/pedestrians if bike lanes are made permanent. (b) Eliminate extra right turn lane for southbound traffic on Burrard turning west-bound on Pender. Creates larger pedestrian area, eliminates crossing one lane for pedestrians, makes it safer for cyclists, too.

31. If a bikeway is designated for recreational purposes I agree with the proposed project and Pender Street is the appropriate (and really only) choice. However, if the development of bikeways is anyway intended to make commuting to and from work a viable option, then the proposal as it stands is totally lacking in a true commitment to commuter cycling. Pender Street through to West End is a high density, high traffic volume area. My understanding of a bikeway is that it is a designated, presumably safe, path where people are known to cycle. From what I've seen of the bike paths, they are fraught with obstacles and surprises (real danger). I don't believe what you are proposing will make the Pender Street area any safer without some serious accidents occurring. I think that a commitment to commuter cycling would be sown if the bikeway in this area had a dedicated lane next to the sidewalk (or an extension of the sidewalk) with vehicles parked outside (towards the centre lane from the sidewalk) the bikeway lane. You can ride here safely, uh sorta kinda, hopefully, we'll see, won't mean much to a cyclist in rehab at G.F. Strong because a real commitment wasn't made.

32. I would like to see striping in lanes where there is only parking and no driving allowed to reinforce the concept that this is essentially a parking shoulder and discourage impatient drivers from scooting through these lanes. Striping would also be useful in areas like Richards to Homer eastbound curbside where only buses would conveniently use this area, thus encourage motorists to slow down when crossing these areas. Maybe bike racks could be paid for like park benches by private people or business with "Thanks to London Drugs" or "In memory of Fred Smith".

33. It is very important to develop a signed bike route (with bike lanes) along Pender St. through downtown connecting the Adanac route through to the Lions Gate Bridge. Pender St .also branches to the Sea Bus and south to the downtown shopping, business, entertainment areas. For the proposal West of Burrard, I prefer the concept of 2 bike lanes, 3 moving vehicle lanes and 1 parking lane. I would also prefer to see the parking lane on the "uphill" section to reduce the potential danger from being "doored".

34. I am a commuter and recreational cyclist and I frequently travel through the downtown. There is an urgent need for bike lanes throughout the downtown. If property designed, bike lanes would make my bike trips safer and more enjoyable. I strongly urge the City to establish bike lanes all along Pender as a first step in a network of downtown bike lanes.

35. 1. Re: Curb-raising for bike lane: check Dr. Navin's research on curbs and their effectiveness (UBC); 2. Education and notification are extremely important; so is behaviour internalization of the sensitivity to other modes; 3. Trial is better than apathy - please make the minimumaction option more than inaction; 4. please minimize right turn motorist vs thru cyclist hazards - most motorists choose to ignore cyclists in this instance; (e) road "texturing" could be beneficial.

37. I don't support waiting for an overall plan - Pender is a no brainer. If you build it, I will come. Why doesn't C of V support "Bike to Work Week"? I hope the stencils stick to the pavement better than the Heather Bikeway ones - some of these are already gone. Also don't put stencils too close to intersection entrances....Cyclists might slip in wet when braking.

38. The more bikepaths the better.

39. I ride daily from Vic & Kway to Pender and Thurlow. Any cycling improvements much appreciated.

NO's

1. The merchants in our area of Pender/Hastings live and die on the vitality of local car traffic and availability of surface and/or on-street parking. The quality of life and the economic viability of businesses along Pender & Hastings, east of Richards, have been on a steady decline since the 1960s as a result of Council policy of concentrating social services and supporting illegal (drug) activities in this area of Victory Square. Downzoning was another negative impact.

The provision of bicycle paths, though in itself praiseworthy and responding to a real demand, is for us merchants again reducing the all-important surface parking and vehicular access. That vehicular traffic is our life-blood. Parking lots are expensive and an area of danger, especially for female shoppers arriving by car, and are therefore shunned by many shoppers. Bicyclists are not big spenders, and unlikely going to compensate for the customers we will lose by this cycle path proposal. Though the economic viability of any community is a complex determinant, it does have definable constituent parts. One of these is shopper access by car, and surface parking. This proposal works against that viability.

2. I believe that it should be a civil offence for bicyclists to be pressured by motorists to be out of car lanes where the speed limit of 50 km an hour. Above that, it isn't safe for bicyclists.

3. Possibility: Explore cycle lanes along new park area north of Pender and avoid traffic congestion on Pender (a main access to Lions Gate Bridge). With bike lane present traffic will be in part loaded to Georgia St.

1. NO for 1. In general, do you support this project as proposed?
Drains and sloped curbs, porous paving, will drain and cool through transpiring and warm with evening dew.

In time of fiscal restraint it is insane to lay pipes, resurface, dig up then re-resurface with more money, noise and business disruption.
Chop curbs bike gain 1 ft. to light stands by using sloped curb with drain. (see diagram). Add bollards for cut corners to protect cyclists and pedestrians.

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