City Council will be getting the joint Planning and Engineering report on the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts today. You can see the slide show here – worth looking at as a demonstration of a new sophistication in presentation style. This is one of the best I’ve seen coming out of City Hall (and as a councillor for 15 years, I saw a lot of PowerPoint).
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Coming up, public consultation:
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From everything I’ve seen so far, I’d be surprised if we didn’t proceed with the idea of removing the viaducts – and then working out the details to make sure it can happen with a minimum of fuss, including impacts on traffic.
One idea I haven’t seen so far: keep a fragment of the viaducts over the skateboard park, to both act as rain protection for the skaters and a reminder of motordom for everyone else.
Awesome awesome awesome! I can’t really say enough good things about this plan, especially the careful consideration of cyclist impacts. Let’s also hope the inclusion of lip service to affordable housing on lands currently occupied by the viaduct near Main Street turns into reality. But overall, the plan takes the best elements of the most popular idea generated from the ideas competition and turns it into a workable reality.
I can’t believe how good this plan is. I’ve been in favour of removing the viaducts in a general way, but I had a few reservations. This plan addresses all of them. It’s a no-brainer.
Here are my initial comments on the slide show:
At least the “wall” of resort-like slabs (overshadowing the DTES) from Beasley’s original proposal is gone.
I’m sure the residents of Strathcona will LOVE how the new Pacific Street funnels combined Pacific Blvd and viaduct traffic their way (versus just viaduct traffic before).
How will the new Pacific Street connect to Smithe Street if Expo Blvd is closed up? The casino proposal had Terry Fox Way becoming a dead end and there’s an elevation gap between the Cambie Bridge and Pacific Blvd where they cross.
Bizarre how a benefit (to the public?) is to “make Concord whole”. Maybe the City will expropriate land from Concord west of BC Place to build a Smithe connector?
The entire concept of “restoring the grid” yet creating a giant curving blvd and massive park that, in turn destroys the street grid on adjacent lands, is at odds with itself. The park will create a “barrier” between the NEFC Concord lands and the areas near Main Street. Unless that east-west separation is the underlying intent? With Expo and Pacific Blvds in place, lowrise buildings could create street walls under the viaducts to enliven the area (like is being done under Granville Bridge by Westbank/BIG). With a massive park in place – it becomes an impenetrable barrier – especially to pedestrians at night – but it will look “pretty”.
The following is a letter I wrote to the Vancouver Sun today (September 3, 2012) in response to the story: “PavCo Fears Viaduct Demolition Cout Hurt Tower Project” published in the Sun on August 30.
With a little imagination, one can envision a greatly improved BC Place Stadium.
A large new covered entry dock area. A huge new pedestrian plaza next
to the stadium, like Terry Fox Plaza but bigger. Two-way traffic on
both Expo Boulevard and Pacific Boulevard. A new lay-by area for truck
queuing on Expo. A new front door and address for the stadium.
All of these features were promised under the Paragon Casino and hotel
proposal two years ago, and PavCo not only supported that project,
they were partners in it.
All of these features are possible if the Georgia Viaduct is removed,
and replaced with a new Georgia Street ramp. The only thing missing
from the current plan is the casino and hotels, and the lease revenue
that would come with them. I don’t understand PavCo’s opposition.
Oh, and one more thing. This time, the City not only supports the
plan; they are ready to make it happen. The City would be giving PavCo
a valuable gift by offering to remove the viaduct and replace it with
a new Georgia Street ramp.
There is a good reason why developers pay millions of dollars to
locate shopping centres at the intersection of two highways or major
roads. It is to make them easy for the public to find.
Currently, you cannot get from Georgia Street to BC Place Stadium.
Building the Georgia Street ramp will change that. The amount that
PavCo will have to spend to accomodate the Georgia Street ramp is
small compared to what they have spent recently, and will improve
their bottom line.