During a public meeting on Monday evening, the commissioners of the Vancouver Park Board unanimously approved the removal of three cyclists on Stanley Park Seawall and the conceptual designs for modifying the bike path at these locations.
Currently, cyclists from the Lumberman's Arch (The Fox's Den Spray Park), Prospect Point (under the Lions Gate Bridge) and the third beach (third beach concession stand and parking lot), the cyclists by bike over the high-traffic pedestrian crossing of the entire beach, the cyclist of the individual location, through the cyclist torment goals (The Fox's the Spray Park).
During the busy summer days, these gates can generate traffic jams and long lines of cyclists on the sea walls.
“There is an enormous amount of conflicts on the Stanley Park house wall between pedestrians and cyclists. And now that there are no bike bike bikes in the interior at Stanley Park Drive, even more people are forced to build maritime, ”said Green Commissioner Tom Digby during the meeting on Monday evening.
“And now we have approved mobility scooters and e-bikes, so that there will simply continue to grow growth in activity, which is wonderful and we want that. But there are these three very special conflict points where pedestrians and cyclists conflict. “
Locations of cyclists descend goals of busy pedestrian crossings on Stanley Park. (Isl Engineering and Land Services/Vancouver Park Board)
Locations of cyclists descend goals of busy pedestrian crossings on Stanley Park. (Isl Engineering and Land Services/Vancouver Park Board)
The employees of the Park Board began to explore new solutions after the Commissioners approved a membership application from Digby in May 2024 in order to examine the feasibility and safety of removal of the gates.
In general, according to the parking board, these cyclists are replaced by new designs that the switches (curve in the bicycle lane route), vertical distractions, path narrowing, textured citizenships and materials, landscaping, planters, furniture, visual information and signs and interactive feedback displays.
At Lumberman's bow, the cyclists of the cyclists are replaced by a narrow bike path, which is characterized by planters and lean rails, which should force cyclists to slow down and travel in individual files before the large pedestrian crossing.
For the third beach, instead of the gates, a new harassment should encourage cyclists to slow down the curve before he arrives on the pedestrian citizens.
The new design for both the lumberjacklane and the pedestrian crossings of the third beach bike and pedestrians will resemble what currently exists outside the science world.
A proposed concept for changes to the Stanley Park -Seehall on Lumberman's Bogen and removed the ripen gate of the cyclist. (Isl Engineering and Land Services/Vancouver Park Board)
A proposed concept for changes to the Stanley Park -Seehall on Lumberman's Bogen and removed the ripen gate of the cyclist. (Isl Engineering and Land Services/Vancouver Park Board)
A proposed concept for the removal of the Stanley Park Seawall cyclist on Third Beach. (Isl Engineering and Land Services/Vancouver Park Board)
A proposed concept for the removal of the Stanley Park Seawall cyclist on Third Beach. (Isl Engineering and Land Services/Vancouver Park Board)
As far as the prospect point is concerned, the gate created by the existing metal railing/fences, which separates the bicycle and pedestrian paths, is removed and replaced by new signage and road markings. In addition, it will find a new railing on the outer edge of the sea well – right next to the water – to encourage pedestrians, to rely on it, and effectively create a wider common room in this very narrow segment of the seaball path.
“The improved path enables cyclists to travel seamlessly from Coal Harbor to Granville Island without having to descend. This uninterrupted route promotes cycling as a convenient and pleasant means of transport and encourages more people to drive all day long. Third, it is a step towards an accessible city, ”said the independent commissioner Scott Jensen.
Potential long-term concept for higher costs for the expansion of the Stanley Park-Seeball with a board walk at the Prospect Point. (Isl Engineering and Land Services/Vancouver Park Board)
A proposed concept for changes to the Stanley Park path on the Prospect Point. (Isl Engineering and Land Services/Vancouver Park Board)
However, the removal of the gates and the construction of the new bicycle track and pedestrian transition designs at each of the three locations could be a few years away. The aim is to include this in the capital plan 2027-2030, with the construction possibly releasing in 2027.
The estimated combined costs for the changes at all three locations are 828,000 US dollars, including design, planning, construction and archaeological evaluation and surveillance costs as well as a contingency fund of $ 168,000 for construction costs.
“I am a fan of simple solutions, but I think only by opening the gates is still a big risk. I think we still need the crosswalks. I think we still need the narrowing of the path, so it is certain for everyone, ”said ABC Commissioner Jas Virti and appealing to the comments of a public spokesman who suggested that the goals should be quickly removed without the outline draft changes of the Park board.
According to the traffic counts carried out by the Park Board construction company, which were carried out over three days at the height of the summer season in August 2024, Lumberman's Arch is the busiest of the three locations.
Over the Three Days Surveyed at Lumberman's Arch, 5,736 People Were Seen Walking, 9.489 People Were Riding a Bike Or E-Bike, 489 People Were Riding A Scooter Or E-Scooter, 161 People Were Riding a Tandem Bike, 52 People Riding A Cargo Bike Or Bike Without a Trailer, 88 People Were Using Roller Blades, 33 People Were Using Skateboards, and Eight People Were Using A Segway.