By: Kevin Chan, Alumni

On March 3rd 2009, Vancouver City Council will have to decide whether or not to implement a trial that will test new bike lanes across the Burrard Street Bridge starting this spring and running late into the fall. “City Council has set a list of transportation priorities in the following order: pedestrian, bicycle, transit, movement of goods, and private automobile,” clearly placing alternative transportation ahead of the automobile, according to the city website. The plan keeps with the city’s goal of having bicycles used for 10% of all trips by 2010.

Currently the Burrard Street Bridge has three northbound lanes, and three southbound lanes. The sidewalks are 2.6 meters wide and are cut in half with a line of paint and then shared: pedestrians on the outside and cyclists on the inside. This arrangement does not sit well with Richard Campbell, member of the group Friends of Burrard Bridge, who claims that “the current situation does not meet the nationally recommended standard for a shared sidewalk,” and that, “this failure to meet minimum requirements leaves the city wide open to potential lawsuits.” In fact this very case came true in March 2004 when Jane Lister sued the City of Vancouver for an undisclosed amount of money after being forced to swerve into traffic when a pedestrian stepped into the cycling lane.

“My first memory is the sensation of a tube being pulled from my throat. I broke all the ribs on my left side, and had punctured and collapsed lungs. I fell into a mini van, and my head kind of got trapped between the car and the curb.”
- Jane Lister

Lister feels that this accident would not have occurred if there had been adequate space for pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles to cross the bridge. Numerous accidents and the potential for fatalities have Campbell calling for action. “We need to address the issue before more people are hurt or someone is killed,” he said at the Burrard Bridge Two Lane Trial Meeting. Statistics gathered from the VPD and ICBC indicate that between 1996 and 2006, 25 pedestrians and 80 cyclists have been injured due to accidents; 50 casualties have been documented at the north end of the bridge in 2006 alone.

The preferred action is a trial lane reallocation. The reallocation would take two of the existing six vehicular lanes and dedicate them to bicycles. This method is noted for being the cheapest, safest, and most easily implemented. It only requires that the outside lanes be designated as bike lanes. Some of the alternatives such as expanding the sidewalks will take years to implement and cost millions of dollars.

Critics of the trial have suggested simply erecting barriers on the sidewalk between the roadway and shared path. This generally isn’t considered feasible because it would further reduce the shared pedestrian/cyclist space and possibly provoke more cyclist-pedestrian collisions. Psychologically the barriers would cause bicyclists to move ever more inward crowding the pedestrian side.

It is obvious that people who rely on cars as their primary source of transportation wouldn’t be too impressed with losing two bridge lanes; although in theory there is enough bridge capacity to accommodate the displaced traffic, and the new lanes would make cycling much more appealing. However, even some cyclists are opposed to the idea. Bruce Metzler finds the bridge more than suitable for his purposes. “The only time I have ever encountered problems or felt unsafe is when inconsiderate pedestrians insist on walking in the cycling lane or when a stronger cyclist than me is impatiently trying to pass me in an unsafe manner,” he wrote to The Vancouver Sun.

Advocates disagree; Mary Sherlock understands that some people find the bridge space provided for cyclists sufficient, but in her opinion, “if a bike facility doesn’t work for an 8 or 80 year old – then it is unacceptable.” In a letter to The Province, Sherlock points out that there are more people who would like to cycle across the bridge than just courageous commuters. “I’d like you to imagine a mother cycling with 3 kids over to the Aquatic Centre for swimming lessons. And this with cars speeding by, inches from their precious offspring. Would any parent do it? None that I have spoken to.” Separate lanes for biking also makes the pedestrian path better and safer too, creating more space to walk the dog, and stop to enjoy the picturesque views of Vancouver.

The bridge trial has its critics and even its problems, but if successful, the trial will be a major victory for everyone. It will be the first successful attempt at going on a ‘road diet,’ by taking space away from cars. The historic Burrard Street Bridge will become more accessible to pedestrians who are hoping to enjoy the walk across and for cyclists commuting to work, school, or just out for a ride. The bridge has easy access to Beach Avenue, English Bay, and the Seawall. Citizens heading to/from Stanley Park will be able to make use of a new piece of cycling infrastructure. Automobile drivers concerned with congestion can switch to the Granville or Cambie Street Bridges, start riding their bikes, or even take rapid transit once the Canada Line becomes operational. Most importantly, the trial lane reallocation will greatly reduce the likelihood of accidents or fatalities for all users of the bridge.