Vancouver

Granville Bridge Connector

With a changing urban context, more people living within walking, rolling and biking distance from home, work and play, and shifting design intent with the goal of achieving Climate Emergency Response targets, the City of Vancouver has been actively engaging in improving the urban infrastructure to better reflect the values of modern-day Vancouver as a city that supports the use of all modes of transportation to be accessed by all users. This means, making roads accessible to vehicles, bikes and pedestrians alike.

The Granville Bridge Connector project has been on the City’s radar for a number of years, aiming to better reflect the needs of the city’s modern population. Originally built in order to connect two high speed, high traffic roadways that were never built, the bridge didn’t take into consideration the needs of cyclists and pedestrians. This has led many non-vehicle users to perceive the bridge as unsafe. 

Recommended design. Source: City of Vancouver, 2020

The proposed project emphasizes the vital importance of the bridge in the context of a regional transportation network for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and vehicles alike. Highlights from the project include:

• Public use spaces, including public art, streets furniture and viewpoints

• Wide sidewalks on both the East and West sides of the bridge

• A bi-directional bike lane on the Westside that connects to the existing Arbutus Greenway, and 10th Ave. bike corridors to the South and to the proposed Drake St. bike lane to the North

• Safety fences between vehicles and non-vehicle users, as well as suicide-prevention fencing

• Six vehicle lanes are retained to keep efficient access for vehicles using the bridge

West side view. Source: City of Vancouver, 2020.

The proposed design is the result of many consultation processes, input from city staff and public initiative, and will cost an estimated 30-40 million dollars. Making roads safer and more comfortable for all road users is clearly a priority for the City of Vancouver and well depicted in this proposed design.

Implementing an urban infrastructure that reflects the accessibility and safety needs of all road users is important in looking towards more walkable communities around the province. 

South end view. Source: City of Vancouver, 2020.

Check out the council report here>>

Check out the proposal for the Granville Bridge Connector here>>

Check out more on the City of Vancouver’s Transportation 2040 Plan here>>

Temporary road closures

The City of Vancouver has closed or limited access to select roads and paths to limit large gatherings and help you keep 2 m away from others while exercising and getting fresh air. Measures include slow streets in select neighbourhoods across the city, and roadway space reallocations on Beach Avenue and within Stanley Park. More >>

Pop-up Plazas

The City of Vancouver is allowing businesses to operate temporary pop-up plazas, giving people space to eat, visit, rest, or enjoy the weather while maintaining a safe distance from each other. More >>

New Westminster

Streets for People

With a goal of reallocating 10% of the city’s road space to sustainable modes of transportation by 2030, the City of New Westminster has initiated a number of city-wide projects to support walking, wheeling and biking. These initiatives will support and facilitate healthy active living as part of daily life, improve access to local businesses, provide safe access to sustainable transportation infrastructure and support physical distancing. 

In order to make safe transportation easier, the city has implemented a number of traffic calming and space reallocation measures including:

• Reprogramming of traffic lights to prioritize and facilitate pedestrian crossings

• Closure of the Northbound vehicle lane on the McInnes Overpass to allow more room for walking and cycling

• Identification of areas for reallocation of space once resources become available

Cool Streets

This pilot project will initially target four local streets with quick and cheap interventions from August to the end of September 2020. The changes will not affect vehicle traffic directly, but rather encourage other modes of transportation to be prioritized. The proposed streets form a connected network that link open space in high density, low income and park deficient neighbourhoods while capitalizing on streets with a large, existing tree canopy. Read More>>

The initiatives being put in place by the City of New Westminster are valuable in giving pedestrians a safe and desirable network of places to walk. Activating streets as places, building a community around these places and encouraging residents to be members of this community is evident in the changes being put in place in New Westminster. 

As a dense city with a small geographical area and a rich history, the changes being put in place will define the city as a walking destination and encourage individuals to explore its diverse urban area.

Enjoying one of New Westminster’s self-guided walking tours is a great way to observe, reflect, share, question and re-imagine the city and celebrate the urban environment. 

Check them out:

Queens Park Walking Tour [3.3km]

Port Royal, Queensborough [6km]

Listen to two-term New Westminster councillor Patrick Johnstone talk about Streets for People with Dean Murdock on Episode 8 of the Amazing Places podcast.

New temporary guidelines for expanded sidewalk and on-street patios

In June 2020, New Westminster City Council endorsed an initiative that allows for an expedited process for restaurant and pub patio extensions which will provide businesses with the ability to increase their footprint to meet occupancy loads and serve patrons safely, while also activating the City’s commercial districts and streets. More >>

Castlegar

Open Streets Pilot - COVID-19 Response Plan for Local Businesses

The City of Castlegar has initiated a six-month Open Streets Pilot Project in support of the business community by making streets, sidewalks, parking areas and open spaces available to assist businesses in meeting the physical distancing measures of the Province and to encourage residents to get outside and feel safe.

Read More>>

Complete Streets Project - Winner of the UBCM “Excellence in Sustainability” Community Award

The City of Castlegar undertook an $8 million project to turn the community’s main roadway into a “complete street.” The project transformed a commercial street into the centrepiece of the downtown core using green infrastructure to attract citizens and businesses.

Read More >>

Annual Castlegar Sculpturewalk

Castlegar is the sculpture capital of Canada! Sculpturewalk is an outdoor exhibit of original sculptures by local and international artists, located on a walking tour in downtown Castlegar. It is now in its 10th anniversary year, with 26 sculptures located across the city. Sculpture walk has recently expanded to communities across the region - visiting Kaslo, Nakusp, Penticton, Creston, Rossland and Nelson, BC.

Visit the Sculpturewalk website>>

See the walking map >>

Read more about the regional tour >>

Burnaby

City of Burnaby’s Active Sidewalks, Open Businesses Program Expands

The City of Burnaby’s Active Sidewalks, Open Businesses program is expanding, giving local businesses the ability to temporarily use their outdoor space such as on-site parking spaces for retail areas or patios for customers. More >>

Powell River

City of Powell River approves patios and parklets

Full staff report and motion (agenda item 8.2) from the June 24, 2020 City of Powell River Regular Council Meeting.

City of Powell River Council has passed two bylaws that will allow for sidewalk patios and parklets.

“Staff understood the report was to offer solutions that would allow businesses, property owners and organizations in the city’s commercial precincts to expand and occupy public lands to accommodate people more appropriately through the pandemic and potentially into the future.” More >>

Nelson

More downtown parking spaces to be turned over to sidewalk cafés

Nelson Council passed legislation to provide additional flexibility in regards to the use of on-street parking spaces to augment seating in the city’s downtown restaurants. “Essentially, the bylaw ensures that the sidewalk cafés are well designed, allow for pedestrian movements and promote an active downtown.” More >>

Oak Bay

Council Supports Use of Public Spaces to Support Small Businesses

Oak Bay Council resolved today to relax the Streets and Traffic Bylaw to expedite the approval process of temporary sidewalk or parking stall patios. In addition, Council also resolved that application fees and administration fees for the purposes of temporary sidewalk or parking stall patios will not be collected. The District believes that these temporary relaxations will allow for the municipality to support these innovative solutions for small businesses, while still enabling the public to safely physical distance on our sidewalks. More >>

North Vancouver - City

Open Streets Action Plan: Open Streets in the City

The City of North Vancouver is encouraging safe walking, cycling and business operations across the City by creating more space on their streets and sidewalks on key destination and neighbourhood streets. More >>