[van-announce] Burrard Bridge Lane Reallocation Special Meeting and "Trade Convention"

[Steve Kisby]

Special Announcement! *** Please Foward ***

Burrard Bridge Lane Reallocation Special Meeting and "Trade Convention"
Tuesday, December 20

TIME: 8:30 am and onward.
PLACE: City Hall, 453 West 12th Avenue between Cambie and Yukon.

http://www.velolove.bc.ca/burrardbridgeflyer.pdf
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20051220/sc20051220.htm

You are urged to attend the Vancouver City Council special meeting they've scheduled to decide on the Burrard Bridge lane reallocation trial. There are over 30 people signed up to speak, and an ah hoc "trade convention" in support of the lane trials is planned. 

The meeting will likely last several hours, so even if you work during the day and can only be there for part of the time, your presence will help those scheduled to speak.

If you aren't able to attend, please send your thoughts to mayorandcouncil at vancouver.ca so they know how many people support the lane reallocation.

Background:

- Sam Sullivan and the NPA campaigned on reversing the trial, however, the NPA says their councillors do not vote as a block and after a marathon 12 hour meeting last Thursday, council deferred the decision on the Burrard Street Bridge bike land trial to a special meeting Tuesday, December 20. We're hoping that if this council hears the arguments that were presented to the last one, they'll also see the logic of going ahead with the trial.

- On September 13 of this year, Council unanimously moved "THAT full public consultation, including a Special council meeting where any member of the public can speak, be undertaken once the plans for the pilot lane closure are finalized, and that after this consultation, Council have final approval on implementation of the pilot lane closure."

- It's not fiscally prudent to spend $13 to $20+ million of our tax dollars on widening if lane closure will suffice.

- The city has committed to a goal of 10% of trips in the city by bicycle by 2010.

- Trips across Burrard and Granville Bridges haven't increased in 10 years.

- The Granville Bridge (about 500 meters away) is underutilized with 8 lanes and takes about half the number of cars daily as Burrard.

- The City of Vancouver Downtown Transportation Plan (on page 8) states that "Over the next 20 years ... commuter trips on foot and bike are expected to double. Car and truck trips are expected to stay the same."

- Lane reallocation would demonstrate leadership on the issue of sustainability and would serve as an excellent showcase for the 2006 World Urban Forum.

- According to the staff report on the 1996 Burrard Bridge Bicycle Lane Trials (http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/960709/a7.htm), travel behaviour within the corridor was modified in two ways:
1.	On an average weekday, there were 870 additional cyclists (39% increase) and a decrease of 8800 car occupants (9% decrease).
2.	Delays were reduced from 20 minutes early in the week to a few minutes later in the week.

- The motion approved by City Council about the Burrard Bridge on July 19, 2005, was:

THAT the Committee recommend to Council

A. THAT Council direct staff to launch the initial phases of the Burrard Bridge outside sidewalk widening process now and, simultaneously, do a full and well prepared one-year assessment of the two-lane re-allocation option, including an evaluation of  whether or not to continue the two-lane re-allocation option at six and twelve months. The work would proceed in two phases as described below.

PHASE ONE: 
1. Advance the design to the final design stage, and staff report back on a recommended consultant team for undertaking the final design of outward widening of the Burrard Bridge sidewalk with and without “pinch points” and on funding requirements.

2. Negotiate additional easements and/or rights-of-way with the Province of British Columbia and the Squamish Nation.

3. Do the full assessment of the two-lane re-allocation option by initiating the closure of the two curb lanes in mid-April 2006 after preparation that includes:
·	Design of supportive temporary modifications to the north and south ends of the Burrard Bridge to be implemented in April 2006;
·	Planning of transit changes and HOV lanes to be implemented by April 2006;
·	A focused communication campaign to alert automobiles and trucks to alternative routes in preparation for the April 2006 changes;
·	Intensive promotion of cycling and walking across the Bridge, focused on a mid-April 2006 launch, utilizing the social marketing strategies, consultants, and data of the Climate Change Action Plan.

4. Evaluate the two-lane re-allocation option, including traffic (automobile, bicycle, pedestrian) counts on both the Granville and Burrard Bridges, at baseline, and at regular intervals after April 2006 launch. The first evaluation period would end in mid-October (with a report in December, 2006). The second evaluation period would end in mid-April 2007 (with a report in June 2007).

PHASE TWO:
Council direct staff to proceed with outside widening if either assessment of the two-lane re-allocation option (the six-month assessment in December, 2006, or the 12-month assessment in June, 2007) finds that the two-lane re-allocation strategy should be abandoned.

B. THAT staff report back on the viability of HOV lanes on Burrard Bridge and allowing commercial vehicles in those HOV lanes.
CARRIED

(Councillor Green opposed Part A. 1 and Phase Two)
(Councillor Sullivan opposed Part A. 3 and 4 and Phase Two)