On Victoria Day weekend in May everyone flocked to Stanley Park-in their vehicle.
While social media was buzzing that the slow down on Georgia and Denman Streets accessing the park was due to the bicycle lane that has been installed on Stanley Park’s Park Drive, it also appears that the congestion pin points into the park and onto the Lions Gate bridge have historically occurred in peak times for bridge and park access.
Viewpoint Vancouver has covered the closing of Park Drive for vehicles in the height of the pandemic and the opening of one lane of Park Drive for bicycle traffic last summer appeared to be effective. In the Fall a more detailed design augmented the temporary bicycle lane with orange cones, and included the use of more permanent concrete barriers and stopping areas for the horse and carriage to allow vehicular traffic to go through.
Remember that vehicular traffic in the park is supposed to go at 30 km/h.
Mario Canseco with Research Co. has just released a survey that looked at bicycle infrastructure throughout the City of Vancouver and Stanley Park specifically. Mr Canseco’s work shows that the temporary bike lane on Park Drive which is approved until the summer of this year has approval with 63 percent of citizens thinking it is a good idea with 24 percent thinking it is a bad idea. Support was highest among people who bike to work or school, and also those who use transit.
Now the Park Board has prepared a “mobility survey” asking residents for feedback on how they are getting to Stanley Park and how they are using the park. And yes, it is also about whether that bike lane on Park Drive should be more permanent.
The survey which you can access here is available until June 9, and examines obstacles to park use and how to reduce private vehicular access.
You can take a look at the video below prepared by the Park Board last year outlining some of the improvements that have been made to the temporary bike lane on Park Drive.
images:sandyjames
This is such a silly “debate”. It is a park – the city’s signature park. I understand that motorists are accustomed to being worshipped, but they sometimes need to be brought to heel. Cars may be generously tolerated within Stanley Park but Council and the Parks Board should man up and tell motorists point blank to their faces that this little patch is not their space to own. The city’s inability to confront this entitled, vocal minority is maddening. And more than a little sad.
I completed the survey and didn’t come across any questions that would address the issue of whether or not to keep the bike lane. The Park Board did have an online survey in 2020 specifically about the bike lane. It unilaterally made a decision to keep the bike lane while the survey was ongoing.
Author
Lance, thanks for filling out the survey! The survey examines obstacles to park use and how to reduce private vehicular access.