Vancouver Critical Mass
Bike over Burrard Bridge - Support the Protected Bike Lanes Trial
Please pass this on to your friends that walk, cycle, bus, drive and
run over Burrard Bridge.
One week to go! After years of close calls, conflicts and collisions
between people who walk and cycle over Burrard Bridge, on Monday, July
13, you will finally be able to cycle and walk safely over Burrard
Bridge. During the Protected Bike Lanes Trial, a southbound lane will
be reallocated to create a southbound bike traffic lane separated from
car traffic by barriers, the east sidewalk will be reserved for
northbound cyclists while the west sidewalk will be reserved for north
and southbound pedestrians. This isn't the best solution, obviously 2
car free lanes opened up to bikes and 2 walking sidewalks would be the
best... but this trial is the best we've got and the best way to make
things better.
Bike Over the Bridge
For the trial to be successful, lots people need to cycle and walk
over the bridge, especially on the first day when there will be tons
of media out looking for a big story.
Lets make the story crowded bike traffic lanes, not congested car lanes!
So bring your friends. Make a celebration out of it. Make a Summer of it.
- Cycle over the bridge to go to Kits Beach, English Bay, Stanley Park
or Granville Island.
- Enjoy dinner and a drink on a patio. Have a picnic on the beach.
- Take the long way to work over Burrard Bridge
- Take the long way home over the Bridge
- Go to a movie or a play
Several opening celebrations are planned for July 13th.
Breakfast and Ride over Burrard Street Bridge
1154 Gilford, 7am; ride starts at 8am.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=93217881238
Take the long way to work - Burrard Bridge Trial Opening Day Bike Ride
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=217056660337
Momentum 40 Rolling Launch Party & Picnic
Join Momentum and the VACC for a ride over the bridge, a picnic at
Vanier Park, and a Bike-in Movie at the Museum of Vancouver.
Meet at David Lam Park in Yaletown at 6pm. We will ride over the brand
new bike lane on Burrard Bridge and have a picnic in Vanier Park.
Bring a blanket + food to share + plate & utensils + yer own mug!
That night the Museum of Vancouver will screen the movie Triplets of
Belleville outdoors (at around 10 pm)
Valet bike parking available at the museum.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=49182264954
So join in or plan your own event on July 13 or some other summer day.
Let me know and I will pass it around.
The bottom line is: Use it or lose it!
Two Lane Reallocation
By helping to make the one lane trial a successful, you will send a
strong message to Mayor and Council that the two lane reallocation is
the best the permanent solution. The two lane reallocation would
enable pedestrians to use the east sidewalk while cyclists would have
a lane separated from traffic. In the trial beginning on July 13,
pedestrians will be banned from the east sidewalk which will be
reserved for northbound cyclists. The banning of pedestrians from the
east sidewalk is not an acceptable solution.
Contact Mayor and Council
Please e-mail mayor and council:
gregor.robertson@vancouver.ca, clranton@vancouver.ca,
clrcadman@vancouver.ca, clrchow@vancouver.ca, clrdeal@vancouver.ca,
clrjang@vancouver.ca, clrlouie@vancouver.ca, clrmeggs@vancouver.ca,
clrreimer@vancouver.ca, clrstevenson@vancouver.ca,
clrwoodsworth@vancouver.ca
If you wish to call them, their numbers can be found here:
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/mayorrobertson.htm
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/mayorcouncil/councillors.htm
Join the Facebook Group
For those of you on Facebook, please join the group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=44613493519
And invite your friends. Lets get over a 1000 members to show that
there is a lot of support for the trial.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/edit.php?members&gid=44613493519
Contact the Media
Write letters to the editor and phone radio call-in shows letting them
know you support the trial.
Stay Positive and Avoid Conflict with Motorists
More Information
City of Vancouver:
http://vancouver.ca/projects/burrard
Burrard Bridge Blog:
http://burrardbridgetwolanetrial.blogspot.com
Councillor Megges has a good summary of the history of the Burrard
Bridge proccess:
http://www.geoffmeggs.ca/the-burrard-bridge-archive/
posted by VanCM Blogger @ 7/08/2009 11:15:00 am
11 Comments:
At 9:49 pm, July 08, 2009,
Anonymous said…
$45 MILLION for a bridge exclusively for bikes and pedestians is fiscally insanely and irresponsible. Vancouver desperately needs a responsible mayor with integrity. Not some wingnut that will sell our children's future for a vote.
At 1:45 am, July 09, 2009,
Rusl Bicycle said…
Actually, given the costs of things these days (which I agree 100% are crazy) $45*10^6 is probably a bargain. It's probably less than it would really cost.
How do you mean "just" for peds/bikes is crazy? We have almost all our bridges with exclusive car lanes one them which is not just fiscally insanely and irresponsible but also stupid and dangerous.
I think a bike/ped bridge would be nice. Also I think we have the best mayor we've had in a while, though he could be doing better.
Children's future? Like the environment? He is the best mayor at allowing car-free spaces we have ever had.
I do think that a new bridge isn't appropriate right now. It's kind of like the Skytrain option. It costs more. We don't really need it. It is politically easier - but it is a bad compromise. What we need is politicians with the political gonads to re-allocate car lanes - to open up the city and allow freedom from cars. This is often unpopular in the media (whose backers sell car ads). I wish we wouldn't have to consider that option but it may be that the more expensive and silly way to do it is the only way to go because of the strength of knee jerk reactions against closing lanes to cars only.
At 5:43 pm, July 15, 2009,
jnyyz said…
Not that it is my place to make this comment (since I have never ridden CM in Vancouver; I have ridden in Toronto), but CM could show their support by riding just the bike lanes over Burrard in July.
At 9:58 am, July 31, 2009,
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
At 10:16 am, July 31, 2009,
Mike Owen said…
Mr/Mrs Anonymous Number Two, I get concerned when I read things like "I hope you all get into an accident during the critical mass event." You may want to consider therapy or remind yourself that the Police are probably monitoring this website and can easily find out a person's identity even if they post anonymously.
I have never taken part in Critical Mass but stumbled on this site after reading about it in the Province. I am ecstatic that something like this could take part in car addicted Vancouver. Are you aware that in Paris you can rent a bike and then return it in another part of the city? Do you really think that we have a future if we rely on autos? Think electric cars are going to be accessible, cheap, and more environmentally friendly? Think again. Isn't it ironic that it's pretty damn hot out these days? What do you think it's from? Bad breath? Foul language?
I have no plans to ride along, but I'll be there with my camera, enjoying myself watching traffic at a standstill. Something tells me I won't be the only one.
At 5:06 pm, July 31, 2009,
Anonymous said…
If bicyclists wouldn't ride irresponsibly, there would be no problems on the burrard bridge. If you want to ride fast, ride in traffic. There are two other bridges that can take bicycle traffic and the Burrard bridge already accommodated bike traffic. If you want a cause, try getting the granville bridge to be safer.
As far as CM goes: It is irresponsible and illegal to block traffic and ignore other traffic laws. You impact emergency services and buses for goodness sake. Grow up and think about the community at large.
At 6:48 pm, July 31, 2009,
Anonymous said…
I counted 6 times, maybe not alot, but I shouldn't have been able to count any.. seeing a bike rider on the sidewalk on Pacific St when the bike lane made especially for them was 2 feet to their left.
Wha?
At 7:35 pm, August 05, 2009,
Rusl Bicycle said…
Dear Mike Owen,
Comments like the one you mention which threaten violence get removed. Sorry I didn't do it sooner. We are hoping to move to a wiki in the future that will invite more participation and be more up to date. If you or anyone else wants to help out please join the velolove email list. Thanks.
At 2:17 pm, September 22, 2009,
Unknown said…
I had a quick look at the Burrard Bridge Lane Reallocation Trial statistics.
http://vancouver.ca/projects/burrard/statistics.htm
These analysis are not neutral. Not manipulating people's opinion is to me a better way to make everybody accept facts.
FACTS:
*Safety : Burrard bridge isn't safe for either pedestrian nor bikers.
*Environment : You'll not convince a driver that he has to get in the bus because of a bridge. This should be a global political decision(Free parking outside the city, dedicated bus routes, denser network,...).
How about measuring air and noise pollution caused by idled cars going southbound?
Let's not talk about that and mix it up with biker and pedestrian comfort and safety.
Have you noticed that fewer people were crossing the bridge when rainy?
How about adding 4 lanes below the bridge. That would provide a shielded protected path to both pedestrian and bikers. Cost would be minimum as it would share the structure with the bridge and would be very light. It also could stay within the bridge frame, not reducing under bridge height.
The passage would also seat lower, thereby easier to access.
Heritage ? Have you ever visited the Louvre Pyramid in Paris. Their are ways to make historic monuments beautifully modern.
I drew a few concept and would be delighted to share them with anybody motivated enough to make that become real.
Cheers
Pascal
Ps: I use my bicycle almost every day, take part to ride share programs and love this city for it's quality of life.
At 3:00 am, February 05, 2010,
VanCM Blogger said…
Hey Pascal,
I think it is important to take lanes away from cars in the city and the bridge is hugely symbolic (relative to any other street) That is why I, for one, would not favour a design like the one you speak of even though it does sound very nice and makes a lot of sense as you point out.
Critical Mass is about public space, part of that space is making room to oppose car culture. That means taking the "extreme" position here because somewhere that position needs to be acknowledged. Somewhere else, people will be more pragmatic and political. But here we do try to advocate for something that isn't a compromise of values (compromise and working with people is a good value too) This means the more "mainstream" pragmatic cycling advocates can be the mainstream instead of being seen as extremists as we inevitably will be (though we are not really).
Also, the Burrard Bridge Lane opening (closing to cars means opening to use by more of the public actually) is politically viable and strategic right now, and the money was voted on/set-aside 16 years ago. So it isn't true that we should change our tact now even though there is opposition noise. It's always hard to gauge that noise - there is no objective way to.
At 3:02 am, February 05, 2010,
VanCM Blogger said…
PS Pascal, You don't have to prove your cycling street cred to have an opinion that is valid. It's true, experience helps learn, but CM isn't about guilt or such individualism. This is a bigger issue than that.
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