Friends of Burrard Bridge - Vancouver Sun Op-Ed

I wrote an editorial appearing in today's edition of the Vancouver Sun. Although it carries my byline, I must acknowledge the help of Mary Sherlock and Arno Schortinghuis for their help with the raw materials, and Richard Campbell and Rob Wynen for advice and direction with the tone and tack of the piece.

Here's the first paragraph:

One month after the opening of bike lanes on the Burrard Bridge, it's a little hard to remember what all the fuss was about. Drivers haven't suffered from the change. Communications efforts before the trial began, publicizing the upcoming change and suggesting alternate routes clearly paid off. Unsurprisingly, cyclists and pedestrians are lauding the new arrangement. The increased safety both user groups now enjoy has turned uneasy confrontations into peaceful coexistence. Hopefully, these outcomes will spur further initiatives to create the separated, protected facilities that make walking and biking in the city a safe option for people of all ages and abilities.

And a link to the full article

Turnout High For Burrard Bridge Consultation Meeting

A public meeting concerning the lane re-allocation trial to test improved cycling facilities on the Burrard Bridge was held on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009 at the Roundhouse Community Centre. Both sides of the debate were well-represented and media turnout included local radio, print, and television reporters.

Friends of the Burrard Bridge spokesperson Rob Wynen was interviewed by a number of those reporters. Here is an excerpt from his interview with CTV News. Still images of intersections and crosswalks on both the North and South sides of the bridge demonstrate some of the challenges and safety issues pedestrians and cyclists face when using the bridge.