Vancouver’s separated bike lanes have a “moderate” impact on business, according to a study released Thursday – the same day the City of Vancouver released its own study that finds bike use in the city is up.
The long-awaited city-commissioned bike lane impact study was conducted by the Vancouver Economic Development Commission in partnership with the city, the Downtown Vancouver Association (DVA), the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) and the Vancouver Board of Trade.
It concludes the bike lanes’ impact on business could be moderated even more if changes are made to:
- turning restrictions;
- signals;
- parking; and
- loading zones, according to a city-commissioned study released July 21.
The study was released the same day the city announced that bike lane usage was on the rise.
In June 2011, an average of 2,200 cyclists used the Dunsmuir separated bike lanes on a mid-week day. That’s 50% more than in June 2010, according to the city.
The bike lane study was also released the same day the city announced that council will next week consider a report that outlines steps the city can take to improve pedestrian safety, as well as increase the prominence of pedestrian issues in Vancouver.
“Pedestrians are the top transportation priority for the city, and we need new, improved infrastructure to increase safety and make our streets more comfortable and enjoyable for citizens,” mayor Gregor Robertson said in a release.
Some things the city has done recently to improve pedestrian safety includes:
- working with the province and ICBC to install new intersection safety cameras at 45 locations;
- installing pedestrian countdown timers at the top 10 pedestrian collision locations in the city; and
- starting work on a pedestrian safety study that is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
Pedestrian safety has been a significant issue of late not only because of several pedestrian fatalities in recent weeks.
Recent Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) statistics that show that vehicle collisions at the north end of the Burrard Bridge are increasing as are injuries in collisions. But it was not clear how many of those accidents involved pedestrians.
Glen Korstrom
Twitter: GlenKorstrom