City Info Sheet on Burrard Bridge

Vital information from City Staff concerning the proposed trial and what is hoped to be learned.

Important Burrard Bridge Meeting, March 3

Speak to city council at the Transportation and Traffic meeting in support of the Burrard Bridge Two Lane Trial.



Tuesday, March 3, 2009
9:30am - 11:30am
City Council Chamber, Third Floor, City Hall
453 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver, BC

Help us create a safer, more sustainable, progressive solution!

A two lane trial will make the bridge safe for people of all ages to cycle over while giving faster cyclists room to pass.

A two lane reallocation will keep traffic noise and pollution away from the sidewalk, making the bridge much more pleasant to walk over.

With around 6,000 people walking and cycling over the bridge every day of the week, the number of people benefiting from the trial will be huge.

Granville Bridge is only a short drive away for motorists and will even be quicker for many trips.

To register to speak, call 604.871.6399, or e-mail nicole.ludwig@vancouver.ca

Letter to Council

The following letter was sent to Vancouver Council last week. Please add your voice to the growing number of sensible people urging a safe, cost-effective, progressive solution to the dangerous shared sidewalk on the Burrard Bridge.  Links to emails for the Mayor, councillors, and MLAs whose ridings are in the area can be found at the bottom of this post. Wouldn't it be nice to see this sign finally come true?

Dear Mayor Robertson and Council Members:

I am writing you to express my support for the two lane re-allocation trial planned for the Burrard Bridge. I also wish to extend my appreciation to you for tackling this thorny issue.

I have no doubt there will be nay-sayers, bent on shutting down this cost-effective, safe, progressive solution to the very real dangers posed by a shared sidewalk. I have no doubt that supporters (of the trial) will be mis-characterized as selfish and unrealistic by the two-lane trial opponents. Most of all, I have no doubt that if the trial proceeds as planned, the long-term ramifications will be negligible for car users and significant for all the people who utilize transportation alternatives more suited to individual travel in a modern city committed to sustainable practices.

Supporters of the trial are eager to hear the concerns of opponents and those who, for whatever reason, like the idea but question its implementation. We certainly want to assist City staff and politicians at all levels, in any way we can. We are also sensitive to your needs–especially your duty to consider all input and represent the wishes of your constituents. Having said that, I think it's incumbent upon anyone involved in this initiative... and especially those with the opportunity to speak to the public through the media, to separate reasoned arguments and valid concerns from reactionary calls for the status quo.

It's a grossly unfair characterizations to call those who lobby for better cycling facilities as motivated purely by self-interest, or guilty of proposing unworkable plans. This is simply not true. I believe you already know this. I hope you will do what you can to correct this erroneous appraisal of lane re-allocation supporters at every opportunity.

The two lane trial is already getting coverage in the media. This is a good thing. The more people who know about it, the better informed everyone can be concerning alternative routes, the reasons for the decision to pursue this plan, and its benefits to our city. I urge you to stay committed to green initiatives and a safer, more sensible use of road space. As our leaders, we need this from you more than ever. I believe we can trust the City engineering staff to find workable solutions to valid concerns, within the framework of the two-lane trial. I am hopeful you will give them the tools they need to identify and implement those measures.

The evidence is in. The reason we don't have more people adopting cycling for transportation is the perception (and all too often, the reality) that cycling in our city is a dangerous choice. Only separate cycling facilities as required, to provide safe passage for cyclists of all ages and abilities, can change this perception and encourage sustainable transportation. Only you can make the decision to choose forward-thinking, well-reasoned planning over emotional knee-jerk responses to progressive measures. You have the support of many in this endeavor and a chance to make concrete the ideals so many of us share.

Thank you for your time,

Chris Keam
(A Friend of the Burrard Bridge)

Council email addresses (click on their pictures to send an email):

Spencer Herbert-MLA

Vancouver-Burrard

Gordon Campbell-MLA

Vancouver-Point Grey

Jann McGinn-MLA

Vancouver-Fairview

Georgia Straight reports on Public Meeting

Matt Burrows of the Georgia Straight reports on last Saturday's public meeting regarding the two lane trial.

Two Lane Bridge Trial Finds Support

There is no better time for letters of support to local politicians and the media. Please, if you have fifteen minutes, send them a short, polite note indicating you'd like to see the trial go ahead. If you are unsure what to say, check out the FAQ (first entry on this blog) to see which reasons for the trial resonate for you. You can use our next blog entry as a guide to the tone and substance you might want to consider. It's a letter of support written by Friends of The Burrard Bridge member Chris Keam and sent to Vancouver Council and cc'ed to the provincial MLAs who represent ridings surrounding the bridge. (Spencer Herbert, Gordon Campbell, and Jenn McGinn

And if you can, please let us know what you wrote too. Copy your letter to the comments section of this blog. Harnessing the power of collaboration will be the secret to making the Burrard Bridge two lane trial a success. Share your voice and make us stronger!

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.

Citizens Voice Support For Burrard Bridge Two Lane Trial Meeting

Vancouver, BC - Jan. 27, 2009 – The citizens’ group Friends of Burrard Bridge expressed its support today for a City of Vancouver-sponsored public meeting Saturday, January 31st from 2pm to 5pm at the Roundhouse Community Centre to discuss the proposed two-lane reallocation trial on the bridge.

“We strongly support a two-lane trial and want everyone to have an opportunity to hear all sides of the debate,” said FBB spokesperson Rob Wynen. “Until we try reallocation, demonstrating how this safe, progressive solution can accommodate all bridge users is impossible. We’re confident we can address objections to the plan and show how the two lane trial is the most cost-effective way for the city to adhere to its policy of encouraging sustainable transportation on the Burrard Bridge.”

ICBC and Vancouver police statistics demonstrate the dangers to pedestrians and cyclists currently using the bridge. From 1996 to 2006, 25 pedestrians and 80 cyclists were injured in accidents, with Pacific Avenue at the north end of the Burrard Bridge a particularly risky area for cyclists (38 injuries). More recent numbers show the problem is only getting worse. 2006 statistics document 50 casualties at this dangerous intersection.

Currently, pedestrians, cyclists, and inline-skaters must all share the sidewalks on the Burrard Bridge. Motorized vehicles have six lanes available. Supporters of the trial point out the Granville Street Bridge is under capacity and offers a more direct route to the downtown core. Calls for a new pedestrian bridge or widening the existing bridge are rejected by the citizen’s group, as either solution is years away from implementation and likely to cost tens of millions of dollars. They assert lane re-allocation will cost far less and can be implemented right away.

According to another Friends spokesperson, Richard Campbell, the trial delivers immediate safety and liability benefits:

“The two-lane trial delivers immediate improvements to safety on the bridge. The current situation does not meet the nationally recommended standard for a shared sidewalk. This failure to meet minimum requirements leaves the city wide open to potential lawsuits. We need to address the issue before more people are hurt or someone is killed.”

Contacts:
Rob Wynen
rob.wynen@gmail.com

Richard Campbell
richard.austin.campbell@gmail.com

Burrard Bridge Information Meeting

Event: Open House: Burrard Bridge Bicycle Lane Trial
"Show your support for a two lane trial"
What: Informational Meeting
Host: I Support The Burrard Bridge Two Lane Trial
Start Time: Saturday, January 31 at 2:00pm
End Time: Saturday, January 31 at 5:00pm
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre, Great Hall