Burrard Bridge battle not over yet

The city's plan to widen the Burrard Street Bridge for cyclists and pedestrians could be derailed by the First Nation which owns the land at the south end of the bridge.

The new NPA-dominated Vancouver city council voted last month to go ahead with the project – which would extend the sidewalks out over the edges of the bridge.

• LINK: Motion by NPA councillor Peter Ladner

The move is seen as a solution to the problem of safety for pedestrians and cyclists – who share the sidewalks.

Council also killed the previous COPE council's plans for an experimental closure of two lanes of the bridge to vehicle traffic – turning them over to cyclists for a year.

• FROM DEC. 20, 2005: Council kills Burrard Bridge bike lanes

But COPE councillor David Cadman warns there's a potential glitch with the bridge-widening plan.

"The problem with the outside wings is that in order to do it, you need the permission of the Squamish Nation, and they may be willing to give it, I don't know."

Squamish Chief Gibby Jacob says there is a potential problem about whether the new sidewalks would encroach on the reserve. And Jacob says there are also construction issues.

"Widening the sidewalks is one thing and having the ability to move the machines on and off site and the staging area, all of that will have some kind of impact."

Jacob has been talking about the issue with city officials. And he says he is not about to sign off on anything until he sees a detailed engineering report.

The city is still a long way off from a final design, with no date set for the start of construction. A request for proposals will be issued next month.