by Robert Alstead

Last December’s decision by the newly elected NPA council to kill the Burrard Bridge lane reallocation trial was a major setback for Vancouver cyclists. After well over a decade of planning gridlock, it was a missed opportunity to try something simple and bold: to make the busy bridge, which is used by both cyclists and pedestrians, safer.
Bike Month, an event that celebrates all cycling-related things, from the Musical Lantern Ride on June 3 to the pancake breakfast at Granville Place on the 28th, takes place in the wake of this major disappointment
Yet there is still good reason for optimism. The roads can be slow and tortuous, but for increasing numbers of people, the bicycle is increasingly becoming the vehicle of choice for a safe way to get around the city. You can see it in the tailbacks of bikes on cycle routes at rush hour and in the variety of both self-propelled and electric machines.
Bikes are now carrying heavier loads, and to appreciate their carrying capacity, you have to see Andy Hunter, part-time DJ and owner of BikeBox.ca, pedaling about town with his music system on trailers. Bikes are also in danger of becoming fashionable, with major manufacturers jumping on the fixed wheel – “fixies” – chopper and cruiser bandwagons.
Things can only get better at street level, as the city continues to implement bike lanes on downtown roads and upgrades more recreational routes, such as the seawall around Stanley Park. This month, for instance, sees the official opening of bike lanes on Chilco Street (5th), Cardero Street (8th), Burrard Street (12th) and Richards Street (15th). All are welcome to enjoy a celebratory cake, T-shirts and free prizes, as well as hobnobbing with city cycling staff.
For the statistically minded, Vancouver City staff report that in the last 10 years, the network of biking trails has increased from 80 km to 170 km, and the number of trips made by bike has doubled in the city. There are more than 50,000 bike trips per day to city destinations, where one person makes more than one trip.
In January, Vancouver almost broke the record for straight days of rain, yet there were at least 200 cyclists pedaling through the wet night at the monthly Critical Mass. Last year’s Critical Mass saw around 1,100 participants, and there is an expectation that this year it will be even bigger.
There’s much more that could be done – many cycleways could do with the calming of traffic for cyclists to feel safer, and those bridge crossings need to be tackled – but all indications point to the fact that cycling in Vancouver is gathering momentum. That’s worth celebrating.
Bikes and cars: bridging the gap
Vancouver is a city surrounded by water, and our bridges create major bottlenecks in the cycling network. “There are no quiet, secondary bridges,” says Richard Campbell, Bike Month organizer at Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST). So how does Campbell grade our bridges, purely from a cyclist’s point of view?
Burrard bridge – After more than a decade of inaction, the Burrard bridge lane reallocation trial, which Common Ground supported, was originally due to start this past April. The trial, which would have given over the two outside curb lanes to self-propelled traffic, received unanimous approval from the COPE/Vision council last July. However, the newly elected NPA council killed the trial just before Christmas.
Currently, cyclists are not permitted to ride on any of the six lanes of the Burrard bridge. They are supposed to ride at a speed of at 15km/h on a narrow (2.6 metre), raised sidewalk, shared by pedestrians, joggers, inline skaters, skateboarders, trailer-pullers and trolley-pushers, travelling in both directions.
At the December council meeting, the NPA voted to draw up another plan to expand the bridge through the construction of an outrigger-style sidewalk. Now, further delays in the design and planning process mean that city staff do not expect construction to begin for another year. Heritage Vancouver, which ranks the art deco bridge at the top of its most-endangered list, must be hoping that the NPA councilors will start back-pedaling when they see the construction costs. However, as the number of Vancouver cyclists and pedestrians increases each year, a solution to the bridge’s shortcomings grows more pressing. Campbell’s verdict: “It’s good enough to be dangerous: Grade F.”
Cambie Street bridge – While the shared pedestrian-cyclist sidewalk on the east side of this major crossing is relatively wide and pleasant, Campbell would like to see better access on the west side of the bridge. He suggests eliminating one traffic lane and giving it over to cyclists. Since the west lane is being closed for the RAV construction, motorists have time to get used to the idea of one less lane. It should also encourage more people to take the RAV, rather than drive by car. Campbell’s verdict: Grade B.
Second Narrows – Narrow by name and, yes, the shared sidewalk/bikepath is as narrow as they come. Although this section of the Trans-Canada Highway is the primary route for cyclists crossing the water from Burnaby and East Vancouver to North Vancouver, it isn’t possible for two cyclists to pass each other without one of them getting off her bike. The bridge has not been altered for decades and it isn’t included in the provincial government’s Gateway plan. The outer railing is so low that you have the disconcerting feeling that you might fall over the edge when cycling across, however, many cyclists still use the bridge extensively: they have no choice.
Campbell’s verdict: “Sidewalk needs to be two or three times wider. Poor access: Grade F.”
Granville Street bridge – Is it because it is eight lanes wide that cars seem to be travelling faster here than anywhere else in the city? Cyclists are not permitted on the narrow, raised sidewalks and crossing lanes of traffic when exiting the bridge is a hair-raising experience.
City staff have made various recommendations to upgrade the bridge, including widening the sidewalks for cyclists and improving access, but there is no funding to advance the ideas.
Campbell’s verdict: “It’s the scariest bridge. Grade F.”
Lions Gate bridge - In the nineties, Campbell organized several Tame the Lions rides, where cyclists rode across the deck of the bridge en masse to draw attention to the dangers faced by riders on the bridge’s narrow sidewalks.
The upgrades implemented in 2000 and 2001 included widening the sidewalk from 1.2 m (4 ft.) to 2.7 m (9 ft.). Although it is still not wide enough to comfortably accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, it is a big improvement and connections to the bridge continue to improve.
Campbell’s verdict: “It could be wider, but it’s fairly good now... anyone would feel comfortable on it. Grade B.”
RAV bridge – Controversy has hounded the $1.9-billion-plus Canada Line linking Richmond, Vancouver and Vancouver airport (aka RAV), however, BEST did not oppose it.
On the contrary, based on the plans that Campbell has seen, he believes that the pedestrian and bike lanes under the new RAV bridge between the bottom of Cambie street in Vancouver to between Hawthorne Way and Number 4 Road in Richmond could make it the best bridge serving Vancouver cyclists. Bridge construction is due to be completed by September 2007.
Campbell’s advance verdict: “It should be an A.”
No.2 Road bridge in Richmond: This low-level, four-lane bridge connects Sea Island, where YVR is located, with the west side of Richmond. Campbell’s verdict: “It’s got nice wide sidewalks and an off-road bike lane, so you can use either: Grade A.”

June is Bike Month
The second annual, Car-Free Commercial Drive Festival will be held June 18.
The first-ever Car-Free Festival last year was a wild success, attracting about 25,000 people. The festival offered three stages that featured live music and performance, dancing, street hockey, massage, healing and a load of other crazy stuff. This year’s date, June 18, being the soccer World Cup, the festival also offers a sports stage. Festival organizer Carmen Mills also expects the day to be a “flashpoint for awareness” about the provincial government’s $3 billion Gateway Project, which includes twinning the Port Mann Bridge. If it goes ahead, the project could flood East Vancouver with cars. “I’m expecting a mind-bomb to explode at the Commercial Drive festival,” says Mills.
Freak bikes – One of the most difficult things about attracting someone to cycling is getting her to make that first bike ride. The bike builders at Pedal Play came up with the novel solution of creating art bikes that turn people’s heads. Using reclaimed and recycled bikes – chopped up and welded in strange configurations – they stimulate the imagination and an anarchic sense of fun. You can’t miss the tall bikes – two frames welded on top of each other – at Critical Mass. Take them for a spin at the Van East Chopper Festival, which runs alongside the Car-Free Commercial Drive Festival.
Critical Mass – With its slogan of “We’re not blocking traffic! We are traffic!”, Critical Mass takes place on the last Friday of every month.
Cyclists and other self-propelled people gather at 5:30 pm outside the Vancouver Art Gallery and ride through the city together.
June usually sees the biggest mass of the year, the grand finale of Bike Month. Last year, more than 1,100 cyclists enjoyed the ride that crossed three city bridges. BEST described it as “a party on wheels.” The event, which has been going strong in Vancouver for many years, has spawned numerous other rides, including the Wholesome Undie, the underwear ride that helped send the Molson Indie packing, Midnight Mass Rides (second and fourth Thursday of each month at 11:45 pm at Grandview Park) and the fabulous World Naked Bike Ride (www.worldnakedbikeride.org), which takes place on June 10.

For a schedule of Bike Month events, visit www.best.bc.ca/. Robert Alstead is currently making a cycling documentary entitled You Never Bike Alone (www.youneverbikealone.com/.)