Vancouver rolls out Burrard Bridge bike lanes plan

Vancouver City Hall has released details of a $1.3 million plan to create two bike lanes on the Burrard Bridge, starting July 13.

The western curb lane on the bridge will become a bike lane for cyclists crossing toward Kitsilano, while the eastern sidewalk will be reserved for cyclists heading downtown.

Pedestrians traveling in both directions will be restricted to the western sidewalk, and car and truck traffic will be reduced from six lanes to five, with three northbound lanes and two southbound lanes.

Other changes will include protective barriers to separate the bike lanes from vehicles, traffic signal modifications, and measures to provide priority access for buses.

A public information program will prepare the public for the changes, and a monitoring program will assess the impacts, according to city staff.

Assistant city engineer Jerry Dobrovolony said he hopes to avoid the problems that plagued a similar trial in 1996. That one was eventually cut short due to overwhelming traffic jams and negative public reaction.

"We are spending more time designing the project," said Dobrovolony. "We are spending more time communicating when it starts.

"We're going to have a very intense communications campaign running in the three weeks up to the trial. People will know what's happening and what their options are."

City staff will report back to council on the project after three months, he said. The entire project is slated to run for six months.