11042 replies to this topic

[Rex Waverly]

A similar *$#% structure now blocks turning south on Vancouver from Caledonia. This has resulted in more cars now travelling along North Park from both Quadra and Cook to access Vancouver Street. Yes, the CoV is run (badly) by dolts.

 

Also won't be able to turn north from Balmoral so North Park will be the only way to access the two-block stretch of Vancouver from Caledonia to Balmoral. It makes sense then that there will be some additional traffic on North Park, although it shouldn't really be that much more as again, it's only to access two blocks worth.  

 

There are several other diverters / closures being installed, including:

- Another set of diverters will be at Meares, where northbound or southbound traffic will not be able to go through and Meares traffic will not be able to turn onto Vancouver. 

- Northbound traffic will not be able to go through the Pandora intersection (blocked between Pandora and the service lane).

- Southbound traffic will have to turn left/ right at Fairfeild Rd (and Fairfield Rd traffic will not be able to turn south onto Vancouver)

- Northbound traffic will be blocked at Southgate

- Bay St traffic will not be able to turn south onto Vancouver

 

Should do a pretty good job of drastically reducing volumes on Vancouver St; hopefully it does a good job of encouraging cyclists to use the route. The other AAA routes so far have mostly been protected cycle tracks so it'll be interesting to see if how well this style of AAA facility will be received / utilized.  

[Nparker]

Also won't be able to turn north from Balmoral so North Park will be the only way to access the two-block stretch of Vancouver from Caledonia to Balmoral. It makes sense then that there will be some additional traffic on North Park

Which is fine unless you're a resident of North Park Street, a relatively narrow, mostly residential road.

...Should do a pretty good job of drastically reducing volumes on Vancouver St...

90% of which will move to other nearby streets creating more congestion. Already traffic on Cook Street gets backed up for blocks as it approaches North Park Village. Quadra can probably absorb a bit more traffic, until the CoV decides to wreck it of course..

But we know which lobby has the loudest voice in council chambers.

 

[mbjj]

I walked to work along Vancouver St. for 25 years. There is absolutely no need for any of this expensive nonsense. I saw tons of cyclists successfully pedal long Vancouver. We simply can't afford this stupidity right now and it's going to make things very difficult for us to go anywhere.

[Victoria Watcher]

I walked to work along Vancouver St. for 25 years.

that’s a hell of a commute. did you eventually find a job closer?

[aastra]

Come on, are you thick? Obviously he was including the return trip.

[Rex Waverly]

I walked to work along Vancouver St. for 25 years. There is absolutely no need for any of this expensive nonsense. I saw tons of cyclists successfully pedal long Vancouver. We simply can't afford this stupidity right now and it's going to make things very difficult for us to go anywhere.

 

I seem to recall some people saying there were tons of cyclists on Wharf St before the cycle track was put in, and on Fort St as well (Pandora was before my time, but i'm sure there were quite a few cyclists on the road before those lanes were built as well).  But the numbers of cyclists went up drastically after the AAA infrastructure was put in. Not only did the number of cyclists increase substantially, but the type of user changed as well.  Before the AAA infrastructure, the vast majority of cyclists were physically-abled adult men. The mix of users now is much more balanced, with increased numbers of women, children, elderly people, physically challenged people using these lanes.

 

Of course, there is a difference between downtown cycle tracks and the Vancouver St-style residential shared street design.  I guess it's a bit of an unknown since it's the first of it's type in Victoria, so we'll have to wait and see if the cyclist numbers increase like they did with the other lanes.  But it is by far the longest route (if coupled with Graham St lane, it's almost the length of the Pandora, Fort, and Wharf lanes put together), and it's also the first north/south route east of Wharf St, so i think the potential user demand is there.  

[mbjj]

I don't object so much to the bike lanes on Vancouver as much as all the fake plazas they're putting in. They are closing down a very effective route for no reason. It will be like the maze at Hampton Court for us to try go to our usual shopping locations.

[FogPub]

Also won't be able to turn north from Balmoral so North Park will be the only way to access the two-block stretch of Vancouver from Caledonia to Balmoral. It makes sense then that there will be some additional traffic on North Park, although it shouldn't really be that much more as again, it's only to access two blocks worth.  

 

There are several other diverters / closures being installed, including:

- Another set of diverters will be at Meares, where northbound or southbound traffic will not be able to go through and Meares traffic will not be able to turn onto Vancouver. 

- Northbound traffic will not be able to go through the Pandora intersection (blocked between Pandora and the service lane).

- Southbound traffic will have to turn left/ right at Fairfeild Rd (and Fairfield Rd traffic will not be able to turn south onto Vancouver)

- Northbound traffic will be blocked at Southgate

- Bay St traffic will not be able to turn south onto Vancouver

 

Should do a pretty good job of drastically reducing volumes on Vancouver St; hopefully it does a good job of encouraging cyclists to use the route. The other AAA routes so far have mostly been protected cycle tracks so it'll be interesting to see if how well this style of AAA facility will be received / utilized.  

Re: Meares: how the hell is that going to work given that Meares is one-way from Vancouver to Quadra but two-way from Vancouver to Cook?  Does Meares become one-way from Cook right through to Quadra?

 

Re: Southgate to Fairfield: if northbound traffic is blocked at Southgate and southbound traffic is blocked at Fairfield how is anyone who lives on that block supposed to access it?
 

[mbjj]

Surely you don't think the city gives a darn about such technicalities!

 

How will emergency vehicles be affected along Vancouver? One of these days someone will need an ambulance.

[Victoria Watcher]

ambulances will figure it out. people in willis point need an ambulance sometimes and it takes 45 minutes to get there. they manage.

I don’t understand all the opposition and grumbling. there are great roads just a block away at Quadra and Cook for all your north south needs.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 October 2020 - 07:17 AM.

[Nparker]

...I don’t understand all the opposition and grumbling. there are great roads just a block away at Quadra and Cook for all your north south needs.

Have you seen the congestion on those streets?

[Victoria Watcher]

there might be the odd time of day. but nothing a more clear Vancouver street is going to solve.

less curb lane parking in those main streets might help.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 October 2020 - 07:32 AM.

[Blue Steel]

I don't object so much to the bike lanes on Vancouver as much as all the fake plazas they're putting in. They are closing down a very effective route for no reason. It will be like the maze at Hampton Court for us to try go to our usual shopping locations.

They're creating only two plazas, one just north of Caledonia, and one at McClure. What's fake about them? And from a cyclist's or pedestrian's perspective, (skateboarders, scooter riders, etc.) these routes are definitely not "closing down". I agree it's going to be like a maze, from a vehicle driver's perspective. I agree Quadra and Cook are going to be busier, and I agree there are going to be more hassles and headaches for vehicle drivers. I'm also a vehicle driver.

 

I remember when this happened in a Mount Pleasant neighbourhood in Vancouver where I used to live. Some drivers were mad as heck that but quality of life in the area immediately improved. Same with a few intersections and blocks in the West End. 

 

It's interesting to watch the reaction here on the forum, and out on street: a small number of drivers are outraged and seemed surprised, even though this plan passed in August of last year after various stages of planning, discussion, and many chances for input.

 

Improvements to transportation modes other than vehicles have been in the planning stages by the city and volunteer committees for many, many years here, and finally they are happening.  

[Nparker]

...Improvements changes to transportation modes other than vehicles have been in the planning stages by the city and volunteer committees for many, many years here, and finally they are happening.  

Improvements is subjective.

[Rex Waverly]

Re: Meares: how the hell is that going to work given that Meares is one-way from Vancouver to Quadra but two-way from Vancouver to Cook?  Does Meares become one-way from Cook right through to Quadra?

 

Re: Southgate to Fairfield: if northbound traffic is blocked at Southgate and southbound traffic is blocked at Fairfield how is anyone who lives on that block supposed to access it?
 

 

Meares is one-way westbound (away from Vancouver St) so Vancouver traffic are able to turn either east or west without issue. 

 

Southgate to Fairfield - looks like they'll need to take Humboldt or Pakington.  These side streets will likely have an increase in traffic, however it will essentially only be made up of residents of the two-block stretch of Vancouver St.  

[mbjj]

As we've lived in the neighbourhood for quite a while, I can state that we rarely if ever use Cook St. It's always clogged. Ten years ago we used it, but not now. Quadra doesn't go where we need to go.

 

We had no chance for input. I'd just had surgery and my husband was looking after me.

Edited by mbjj, 19 October 2020 - 03:15 PM.

[rmpeers]

Chances for input? Ha. Everyone knew the mayor and a small but loud and influential zealots would push through another poor design and gradually mess up the road infrastructure to cater to a small group.

[Nparker]

The first written information I received from the CoV about the Vancouver Street project was only less than 3 months ago, when I was told "improvements" were coming to my neighbourhood.

[Rex Waverly]

Chances for input? Ha. Everyone knew the mayor and a small but loud and influential zealots would push through another poor design and gradually mess up the road infrastructure to cater to a small group.

 

In case you don't recall, the bike lanes were originally going to be placed on Cook St but were moved due to feedback from the public. So the reason these lanes are even on Vancouver St is because people had input in the design.  

 

If you had participated in the consultation, gave constructive feedback and maybe came up with a way to improve the design and make it work better, staff would have surely took it under advisement and, if it improved the design, probably would have incorporated it. 

 

However, if your input would have been "no bike lanes please and thank you!" than no, probably you wouldn't have gotten your way.  The mayor and council ran on the promise to (among other things) continue expanding the AAA bike network. The voters gave them a mandate that includes building the network, so yeah, they're not going to just not build them. 

[Rex Waverly]

Next phase: https://www.vicnews....acon-hill-park/

 

 

The first written information I received from the CoV about the Vancouver Street project was only less than 3 months ago, when I was told "improvements" were coming to my neighbourhood.

 

I did a quick search of this forum's history.... the link above dated on November 27, 2018 to VicNews includes the consultation dates and times. Presumably being released to the news counts as letting people know. (BTW, the very next post was a reply from you that included the link, although I guess that doesn't mean you read it.)