Theres nothing like a new bike route to draw the crowds at City Hall. More than 150 people signed up to offer their opinion of the citys proposals for the Cornwall Point Grey corridor at the ongoing public debate, creating the longest speakers list in years and highlighting the passion of the proponents and opponents of this plan.
Ive been watching as houses along the proposed route have acquired Please slow down signs and listening as residents ask the city to delay the vote on the proposals and take more time to consult and consider alternatives.
HUB, Vancouvers cycling advocacy organization, countered with a petition to raise awareness of the unsafe conditions for cyclists on this stretch of road, and promote City Halls recommendations as a safer, greener alternative to current options.
The proposal includes a traffic diversion on Point Grey Road as well as separated bike lanes from Jericho Beach to Alma Street and between Macdonald and Trafalgar streets, a stretch of land between two popular beaches Vision Coun. Geoff Meggs called a big gap for cyclist safety. The route veers onto York Street, one block south of Cornwall Avenue, which can be severely congested, especially in summer.
Clearly, not all residents feel their voice has been heard, but a considerable amount of public consultation did go into the proposals and the final version saw a number of significant amendments to address specific concerns. I have to admit, much though the cyclist in me would have enjoyed a separated bike lane on Cornwall, I cant begin to imagine how the volume of displaced traffic could possibly be absorbed by the already clogged arterials of West Fourth and Broadway. I was glad to see this replaced by the considerably more balanced solution of a dedicated bike route on York.
Many of the proposals make good sense. Improvements to the notoriously accident-prone spot at the south end of the Burrard Bridge are long overdue and will increase safety and improve the movement of traffic considerably. York will make a much better designated bike route than the narrower and hillier West Third Avenue route that never completely caught on with cyclists.
But at the heart of the controversy lies the proposal to make Point Grey Road a local street with one-way traffic from Alma to Waterloo, and road closures at Trutch and Macdonald. Point Grey is currently used as an arterial route with approximately 10,000 cars traveling along it each day. With dozens of driveways lining its sides and an abrupt narrowing before Alma, its poorly suited for this purpose. Making it a local street with enhanced pedestrian and cycling access to the parks and beaches makes better sense given the configuration of the road.
However, I think Kitsilano residents do have a very valid concern about traffic displacement. Not so much onto West Fourth and Broadway, which have been shown in traffic analyses to have capacity for the extra cars on the quieter stretches beyond Macdonald, but for the crunch point of Macdonald itself where motorists will have to make their way along the designated through routes.
An estimated 7,000 additional cars could make their way up Macdonald each day, according to the city. Thats a huge increase in traffic on a short stretch of residential street that includes major intersections with the busy arterials. If I lived on Macdonald, theres no question Id be deeply concerned, and Id want to hear more a lot more detail about exactly what this means for the street.
The bike lane proposal was always going to be a tough sell because the changes affect busy roads and will mean significant adjustments for the folk who live in and travel through the area.
As a cyclist, I support new infrastructure especially where it improves safety but believe firmly in achieving balance between the different groups who use and are affected by conditions on our roads. Hopefully City Hall will strike the right balance between promoting safer cycling and walking, and addressing the concerns of those who are taking the time to make their voices heard in the public debate.
Kay Cahill is a cyclist and librarian who believes bikes are for life, not just for commuting. She lives in Kitsilano, regularly drives along the affected roads and cycles daily along Point Grey Road and Cornwall Avenue. Send your comments to [email protected].
