November 29, 2017

Cambie Bridge Changes — Open House

Check out this 9-page PDF, this website, and get in front of city staff to talk and learn.

  • November 30, 2017,  2 pm to 8 pm.
  • 511 w Broadway (west of Cambie)

The Transportation 2040 Plan, identified Cambie Bridge as an important priority project to improve walking and cycling comfort and safety. Cambie Bridge provides a critical link between BC’s two largest economic centres and high density neighbourhoods.
Currently the east sidewalk is shared by pedestrians and cyclists. The sidewalk has become busier over the last decade, and conflicts have increased between people walking and cycling.

Cambie St Bridge in May 1986. Steve Morgan photo.

Looking towards downtown Vancouver on the then-new (3rd) Cambie Street Bridge in May 1986, during Expo 86. Photo by Steve Morgan.

We are proposing to install a new southbound protected bike lane on the west side of Cambie Bridge. Interim improvements will help relieve pressure on the east side shared-use path.

Things have changed since 1985, it seems.

Cambie_Bridge_plaque

By Ds13 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1706640

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Comments

  1. What many people don’t seem to understand is that capacity is determined by intersections, not the number of lanes mid-span. That is why Burrard Bridge redesign works as well as it does.
    If you watch Cambie Bridge during the afternoon rush, you will see that the bridge is over capacity, but the traffic backups are caused by the traffic lights on Cambie. This will not change with the proposed changes.

    1. Yeah, they’ve done a good job in ensuring the right hand turns have enough space (double lanes each end of the bridge) so they don’t back up and block the through lanes.

    2. umh, the problem is that the presentation is not very informative,
      sure, they mention the bike and pedestrian traffic, but what about the vehicular traffic?
      What is the result of the traffic modelling on that?
      It is anyone guess, and the city seems to be happy with that?
      how much traffic there is on those exit ramp at the south end of the bridge?
      it is anyone guess too!
      My guess is it is low enough, they should close them to motor traffic altogether to allow the bike lane to continue straight above 2nde avenue.
      An alternative option is to preserve the opportunity to be able to reintegrate the Cambie general traffic at the south end, to not be trapped in a lane bringing you out of your desired way.

      1. You could ask those questions at the open house, or at the special email address set up for questions about the project.
        Note that VanMap shows vehicle volumes with intersection movements for Cambie and 7th, Cambie and 8th, Cambie and 9th, Cambie and 10th, and the southbound offramps from the bridge to both 2nd eastbound, and 6th westbound.
        No need to guess, or to cast aspersions either.

      2. While getting rid of the off ramps would be better for some cyclists, it would add congestion to the already congest Cambie Street south of the bridge.

        1. that is an opinion based on a guess the presentation doesn’t help to support.
          …and partial 2010 data is probably too old to be helpful…Is saying that is casting aspersions?

      3. I didn’t use the data on line. I asked the transportation engineers. It is a proven method for gaining information about a potential change to the street network.
        I recommend it.

      4. For the record, the city agreed with my above comment (that important datas construing the rational for the change shouldn’t be hidden to the public to be shared only privately on request: some here believe it is the right thing to do!), and so the updated presentation after “casting aspersion” is here:
        the new one is at http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/cambie-bridge-boards-2017-11-30.pdf
        it could be great if those data could make they way to vanmapp…
        NB: the presentation doesn’t provide the traffic on the SB exit ramps, may be Jeff, you can share the secret number the transportation engineers provided to you or is it only available to insider?

      5. Attended the open house this afternoon. Good discussion with staff. The presentation boards are on their third revision, and I suggested that it would be worth including the southbound exit volumes. Seems it might be around 10% of southbound traffic, but that needs to be confirmed.
        My original pitch (last year) was to use the southbound ramp down to 6th (west) for bikes, and to have only the current southbound (east) ramp, ending at the light at 6th. Vehicles could have then turned left or right on to 6th, for west or east. I think this was used during the Olympics in 2010, but not sure. Traffic engineers confirmed that modelling showed that would cause a reduced capacity for the ramps, and so it wasn’t pursued. Hence the narrower bike lane down the straight ramp.
        If modelling didn’t show acceptable vehicle capacity with one ramp southbound, I don’t see how it could possibly do so with no ramps.

  2. There’s no point in attending these Open Houses as Vision will do whatever they want anyway. I fully expect them to act like Christy with the Massey Bridge and get this pet project rolling before they’re tossed from office next October.

    1. It’s pretty funny that you think the consultation is being run by Vision and not the planning and design staff in engineering.

    2. Bob, I have been annoyed when the city put in a trial and said up front that they would not move forward on a project if the trial did not work. The improvements to the 45th Ave bikeway is a good example. Trial was rolled back due to neighbourhood (read NP) opposition. Kits beach park is another example but I believe that we are all losers in both these examples.
      An example where consultation worked is the Arbutus corridor where city wanted to put in a paved temporary path. A few people got incensed and sat in front of bulldozers. City launched an extensive consultation project which determined that people really did want a paved path. Lots of expense but city wabted to be sure that majority was on side
      IMHO, our current city government does way more real consultation than any previous government.that I know of. Especially for cycling projects.

        1. I would second how well the city is doing on consultation. I live in the area and have received post card invitations to consultations and open houses with city engineers(who are not elected, and are not acting as members of vision vancouver). The cities consultation efforts go above and beyond anything I have ever experienced in other cities.
          Also, if you took the time to read the cities plans and literature, this has been on the table as something that is planned in the 2040 documents for quite sometime.
          I would also be surprised if Gregor isnt re-elected. Consultation has improved in the past year, things are getting built, the city is doing evidence based decision making and evaluation, and transport in the city has improved for many residents. I personally have seen a reduction in congestion and improvement in safety.

      1. I believe that CoV is doing a great job in providing mobility options that make it easy for everyone to get around in the city. Note that more people riding bikes means less cars on the road. Would you rather have a bike rider beside you or a car driver in front of you? Improved cycling is good for everyone.

        1. I would suggest that the council is following through on their broader 2040 Transportation Plan and their Greenest City plan. They are trying to create a transportation system for a growing city that is good for everybody. People voted for this so the broader population must be in favour.
          In this particular example, the project attempts to improve safety and convenience for those cycling and walking. This will also encourage more people to cycle and walk and will reduce motor vehicle congestion. I predict no change in motor vehicle trip times for crossing the bridge. This is a win-win all around.
          So again, would you rather have a car driver in front of you or a bike rider or walker beside you? What’s not to like about this project?

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