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Strongly agree that the “pedestrians first” principle since the 1997 Transportation Plan has been sorely lacking here. Did the COV ever initiate an Advisory Pedestrian Committee as per bikes, seniors, etc.? If so, I’d love to volunteer to be on it.
The city has not widened sidewalks OUTWARDLY anywhere since then to my knowledge, and the usage of the limited sidewalk space we do have by many more people, sidewalk cafes, and even bikes as well (grumble, grumble) has greatly diminished the safety, comfort and convenience of the walking experience in this city. (The one exception I an think of is mid-Main, which was a TransLink/federal initiative supported by the COV. Oh yeah, also Carrall Street, but that was for bikes, mostly.)
The NEFC Seawall is a particularly sore case in point, yet we’ve been told for decades to wait for whatever to happen first (Concord buildout, viaducts coming down, hell to freeze over, you name it).
Also, what’s happening with the notion of the Granville Bridge Greenway? Bumpkis since well before the election. Can a transportation staff person or even Councillor dare to come forward now and update the curious public?
Thanks for allowing this rant.
Sidewalk widening on the North Side of Point Grey Road is in the City’s Transportation Plan to begin in 2015. This implementation has been described as a promenade for enhanced pedestrian safety and accessibility.
The Active Transportation Policy Council (ATPC) is a citizen’s advisory council. It covers walking and cycling.
The city council presentation from July 2014 on the 2015-2018 Capital Plan makes reference to walking and cycling improvements on the Cambie and Granville bridges in the Transportation section, and under Major Projects for 2015-2018 lists Burrard, Granville, and Cambie bridges with respect to Active Transportation.
All – on the whole, the COV has invested greatly in biking facilities in recent years. Walking, not so much. (PGR notwithstanding.)
There is pretty much a complete walking network of paths separated from traffic throughout the city and sidewalks are being added to the few streets which do not yet have sidewalks. On the other hand, we have a long way to go to complete a safe and convenient cycling network which can be used by people of all ages and abilities.
The cartoon also screams like it’s by someone who doesn’t like “rules”.
The implication of the gulleys being that he/she should be able to jaywalk wherever they like.
I think the point isn’t that the pedestrian should be allowed to jaywalk (and honestly, why is walking a crime?), but that there are very narrow tracks that a pedestrian is allowed to use and if they step out of these they will die.
The planks as crosswalks is a good metaphor. As someone who has been struck by a car while walking in a crosswalk with the walking light active, the wobbly plank highlights the peril faced by putting yourself out there.
If this is how the pedestrian system was sold to people, we’d never buy.
Then is it fearmongering? Because in reality, people do safely use crosswalks and do jaywalk without falling off a cliff.
Great illustration of the current car centric situation in Vancouver.
Not the depth of the ditch: ideal for a subway !