Point Grey Road is the latest bike-corridor controversy. Stories here and here.
Here are a few items from my email box:
There is a small group of individuals, less than 200, who have taken it upon themselves to try to derail a critical project to the City of Vancouver – one of increased safety and access to some of the finest public beaches and parks in the region.
The current government has set a goal of making it safer for all ages and abilities to go between the Burrard Street Bridge and Jericho Beach, and they have found resistance from only a few who would rather play dirty politics and purposefully agitate the public than address the real concerns of people who use the area and want to do so without risking their lives.
Local residents (in favour) have conducted a personal one-on-one poll and have collected 2,000 signatures from users of the area by visiting the parks and speaking with neighbors. The first city-generated public-process survey, with1,300 responding, had overwhelming support for access to the water and that safety be addressed.
By addressing this gap in the transportation network the city will finally provide access to the water and larger beach side parks along the Kitsilano to Jericho Beach area. With safer routes the goal is also to see more people use the area and take up walking and cycling.
The road is unsafe ( UBC School of Urban Planning Report) and the only conversation that should be taking place is how to fix that problem.
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Speaking of UBC, and safety, Kay Teschke and John Carsley had a carefully considerd op-ed in the Sun looking at “issues related to modes of transport: the burden (or number) of injuries; the risk (or rate) of injuries; and other potential risks and benefits of various modes.”
The conclusion:
The physical activity (walking and cycling) entail reduces the risk of developing many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and dementia. Many studies have compared these benefits to the injury risks. All have found that the benefits greatly outweigh the risks. The benefits of walking and cycling (lower risk of death from chronic diseases) are 10 to 100 times higher than the risk of death from injuries. …
A multi-faceted approach modelled on countries that have achieved higher rates of active travel would include, first and foremost, reduced vehicular speed (to lower injuries for all travel modes), protected bicycling infrastructure that makes cycling feel as comfortable as walking on a sidewalk, and education programs in schools to teach cycling and road skills at an early age.
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Which leads to my conclusion re Point Grey Road: A safer route for all ages and abilities is essential. The process has been sufficient; council must do something: either a seawall extension along the water or a safer Point Grey Road.
The status quo is not an option. Walkers and cyclists will use Point Grey Road as the most direct, flattest and continuous route available. Once the changes are made, traffic – as it has in every other case where such changes have been made – will adjust.
Good posts with valuable information on this issue are as follows:
http://spacing.ca/vancouver/2013/07/05/how-to-increase-cycling-and-walking-lessons-from-cities-across-the-globe/#comment-63992
http://www.torontocycling.org/uploads/1/3/1/3/13138411/cycling_economies_eglinton_final.pdf
http://www.news1130.com/2013/07/02/most-people-in-the-lower-mainland-like-bike-lanes-survey/
http://health-design.spph.ubc.ca/files/2011/06/PGR-safety-and-accessibility-report1.pdf
The petition in support of the Transportation Plan 2040 has grown by leaps and bounds supported by cyclists, pedestrians, residents, local business, tourists and all who understand the safety issues as conditions exist on the stretch from Kits Beach along the water to Jericho Beach. Each person that signed as an individual was expressing their own personal point of view – not that of a stakeholder group. The petition for 2 A was done in person. The petition in support of option 2A was vetted for accuracy of information by city staff on the petition writes request.It is worth noting that if any information in a petition is incorrect it jeopardizes the petition and all signatures can be invalidated.
Citizen engagement is an invitation for individuals to address their elected government to bring related issues, ideas and even solutions to the fore of a public discussion. It is not acceptable to have the process overrun by political mischief makers and want-to-be politicians who disrupt the public’s conversation, insult civic staff and intimidate individuals who would like to be involved but fear doing that very thing.
Thank you – your post was appreciated.
Hey Gord, here’s a petition that would be great if you could support. http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/city-of-vancouver-mayor-and-council-make-point-grey-cornwall-safer-for-people-of-all-ages-and-abilities
You should call Point Grey Cornwall the “New Interrupted Seawall” now that the other one has been uninterrupted. 🙂 Everybody is looking forward to riding their bikes to Jericho Beach someday on the seawall!
You’re right. There’s a small minority of British Columbians with a petition to “Stop the Bike Lanes”! (I’m not going to put the link or else it might spread.) They’re more focused on stopping bike lanes in general, as I think most of us understand why.
Anyways, the petition above is very important!
Does anyone have more details on this?
Thanks
Hi what would you like to know about the citizen’s petition ? thanks happy to help
Basically I’m just interested to know if results are available anywhere. I want to spread the word about how many people in the neighbourhood are in favour of the proposed infrastructure.