Mike Klassen writes in the Vancouver Courier about the recent Janette Sadik-Khan event, highlighting Gordon Price, the future of transportation and streets in Vancouver — and, specifically, the Commercial Drive brouhaha now in full fulminating glory.
Consider what is coming to Vancouver: the re-imagining of the Arbutus Corridor, newly purchased by the city, the removal of the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts and the new plan for northeast False Creek, the Broadway subway and the continuation of the Millennium Line Skytrain, establishing a bike share program, and major renovations to the Burrard Bridge just to start.
The city is also weighing the future of Robson Square as a public plaza. In addition, engineers are taking a hard look at Gastown’s future (will it become pedestrian-only?) while it figures out how to restore its weary cobblestone streets. Then there are the bike lanes, which bring out critics in droves.
Controversy has already erupted on the proposed bike lane on Commercial Drive, between East 14th and First Avenue. The local BIA, regrettably in my view, released the results of a survey slanted to garner a negative reaction.
A more dispassionate look at the Commercial Drive bike lane should have people jumping up and down with glee. By bringing millions of dollars of street improvements, that part of the Drive stands to win big by drawing more pedestrians, cyclists and shoppers.
Mr. Klassen closes with this:
When it comes to Vancouver’s transportation and its public realm, the status quo is simply not an option.
PANIC . . . VANCOUVER FAILED CITY
Critics in droves against bike lanes? Where is he seeing that? Most people I know either love them or are indifferent. The handful of people I’ve ever met who were against them a few years ago have now changed their minds.
Comments on a newspaper’s blog should never be considered an accurate view of popular opinion.
Unfortunately when I look at the Vancouver sun and vancity buzz comments I see a good hate on for bike lanes still.
On a related topic, here’s a sarcastic article called “How to respond to a cycling scheme – an objector’s guide”.
https://aseasyasridingabike.wordpress.com/2016/03/24/how-to-respond-to-a-cycling-scheme-an-objectors-guide/
It’s a humorous look at some of the crazier responses one finds at open houses or anywhere there’s feedback about a project that involves cycling (or any change really). It’s “funny ‘cuz it’s true” but what really stood out for me was a comment from a Dutch person:
“I am Dutch and even though I have lived in Britain for a long time, I am still completely baffled by the viciously negative attitude towards cycling in this country. I would like to see more attempts made at understanding the true nature of the objections, rather than just ridiculing them.”
I also am baffled by negative attitudes toward cycling. A lot of it doesn’t make any sense and I would like to understand it more so that we can have those people’s needs met, or concerns alleviated and then we can hopefully move on and get on with our lives.
There are two other factors New York and the Department of Transportation pursued that are very important. The first is that the cycling facilities are protected from car and pedestrian traffic by medians and other devices. Second, the Department of Transportation colllected very good statistics on the impact of the new walking and biking facilities. In Union Square north, implementing very good walking faciities decreased store vacancies by 50 per cent. People that valued walking and biking over arriving by car spend five times as much on shops and services. And taking out a parking lot on Pearl Street and putting in a pedestrian oriented park increased sales in the area by 167 per cent. All of this information is readily available on the Department of Transportation’s web pages.
These are the stats that we need to collect ourselves in talking about changes for merchants in places like Commercial Drive.
It is very refreshing to see this from Mike Klassen who in the past was quite cycling negative in his City Caucus blog. He also led the charge on reversing calming measures for the 45th Ave bikeway. Also, NPA is still surprisingly cycling negative. Do I detect a change?
Arno, one of the important factors of introducing new ideas and innovations is to ensure that people have a chance to understand the concepts and to also really comprehend other people’s point of view. I have always found Mike Klassen to be approachable to new ideas, very quick to understand the rationale for policy, and a real champion for change. He is also a solid supporter of the country lane sustainable space practice, and a staunch advocate for community building in his neighbourhood.
“approachable to new ideas, very quick to understand the rationale for policy, and a real champion for change.”
May well describe MIke, who has been courteous and a fine gent in my experience, but I would hesitate to use those descriptors w/r/t City Caucus, which seemed to exist mostly to foment Vision-hate and perpetuate some questionable precepts.