Metro Vancouver Bike/Pedestrian Discussion

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by s211

If someone isn't going to wear a helmet because it infringes on their civil liberties, then by all means don't let me stop them.

I don't think we should stop them even if they don't care about civil liberties. It's a blanket rule which shouldn't be applied universally to adults in all situations. Period.

I wonder... are these covered under the mva:

[tybuilding]

New Infrastructure Grand Opening in Delta July 24th at 11 AM:

Highway 10 overpass for the Delta-South Surrey Regional Greenway
http://www.metrovancouver.org/servic...Greenways.aspx

Delta-South Surrey Regional Greenway
This new regional greenway runs from Annacis Island to Mud Bay along the South Surrey Interceptor sewer corridor and will be under construction over the next five years. The 2.3 km section between 64th Avenue and Highway 10 is officially open. Also Surrey’s Mud Bay Park which serves as the southern terminus is open and connects to the Boundary Bay Dyke Trail. This greenway will one day provide connections between Delta’s Nature Reserve and Watershed Park, Surrey’s Joe Brown Park and Mud Bay Park, the Serpentine Greenway and Boundary Bay Regional Park

Highway 10 at Highway 91

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sourc...08272&t=h&z=17

[jlousa]

I get a kick out people with multi-Thousand dollar bikes w/o locks and then insist on trying to bring their bike into your building. Maybe spend a tad less on the bike and buy a couple of nice locks to protect your investment or maybe save the nice bike for when your racing and not running errands. Sorry for the rant just a major pet peeve along with people that think their pets should be able to go anywhere they do.

[officedweller]

Of note:

New bike lane on Jarvis St. in TO:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tran...es-and-in-cars

The Toronto Sun is confused:

http://www.torontosun.com/news/toron...-14758906.html

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Of note:

New bike lane on Jarvis St. in TO:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tran...es-and-in-cars

The Toronto Sun is confused:

http://www.torontosun.com/news/toron...-14758906.html

That's a disaster, completely. Complete eradication and reshifting of the lane lines should have been done to have just put 1.7 bike lane shoulders or so (assuming the centre lane was 3.4m)


Looks like that's the plan, but why do this now? You're striping paint that you only need to eradicate next week?!?! Also, can't this work be done at night? It's eradication, restriping, some signs and removal of some overhead signal indicators.

[IanS]

I'm surprised that there's no posts about this from the bike lane advocates.

We now have some overlapping data from the Burrard Bridge bike lane "trial", from before and after installation of the separated bike lane. Specifically, there is now data for the period June 16-30 for both 2009 and 2010.

From my review, it looks like the average bike use for the bridge has gone up around 7%, from an average of 3763 in 2009 to 4040 in 2010. That's not as dramatic as the estimate touted by the City on the bike lane web page, but it has the advantage of being real.

[Pennywise604]

I am very new to cycling, in fact until 3 weeks ago, I hadn't been on a bike in years. I now really enjoy it! The only places I've been to though, are Iona Jetty down on Sea Island which is only flat, Watershed Park which is basically my backyard, but it's all forest, and Mud Bay Park/Boundary Bay Dikes which is also very flat. These are beautiful places, but it's not challenging enough. I don't mind hills in fact that's the best part. Colebrook Rd. has a pretty tough climb heading up to Boundary Park, I think a 100m. section reaches 12%.
What I want to know is, where are the best places to go for a good workout? Climbing an actual mountain would be too hard since I'm just starting, but what are some fairly steep hills in the Delta/Surrey/Langley area? I was thinking of trying 104th av.

[squeezied]

^ 3 weeks ago eh... I'm guessing you and a swarm of other people (including myself) bought a bike before the HST kicked in! I share the same sentiment that I really find cycling enjoyable now (probably because my new bike is a large upgrade from my old zellars bike from high school).

Unfortunately I can't answer your question as I'm only familiar with the Vancouver area. If you ever come up here, my suggestions would be to bike west along NW Marine Dr. in UBC or south along Ontario St. My favorite route is west along SW Marine Dr. to UBC, head east along NW Marine Dr. and continue east along the various beaches. Basically, it's cycling around the perimeter of the Westside. It's not exactly a workout route, but it's really beautiful and enjoyable.

But if I had to answer your question, try Hwy 10 in Surrey. There are some rolling hills and the speed of cars sorta push you to go faster. I actually don't bike there; I just drive there to work.

[Pennywise604]

Originally Posted by squeezied

^ 3 weeks ago eh... I'm guessing you and a swarm of other people (including myself) bought a bike before the HST kicked in! I share the same sentiment that I really find cycling enjoyable now (probably because my new bike is a large upgrade from my old zellars bike from high school).

Unfortunately I can't answer your question as I'm only familiar with the Vancouver area. If you ever come up here, my suggestions would be to bike west along NW Marine Dr. in UBC or south along Ontario St. My favorite route is west along SW Marine Dr. to UBC, head east along NW Marine Dr. and continue east along the various beaches. Basically, it's cycling around the perimeter of the Westside. It's not exactly a workout route, but it's really beautiful and enjoyable.

But if I had to answer your question, try Hwy 10 in Surrey. There are some rolling hills and the speed of cars sorta push you to go faster. I actually don't bike there; I just drive there to work.

This bike I've had for a while actually. It's a heavy bike, but being a 21 speed, it makes everything very easy.

I've thought about Ontario St. before, as it does have a big climb. But Vancouver is too far, and me having a fear of heights on bridges wouldn't help at all. I think going along a highway is too much though for now. The cars are moving way too fast, since I can't climb all that fast. It'd be scary! I was wondering through Langley and South Surrey, there's got to be some good ones. 0 Ave, is very hilly until 216th, but that's all I know.

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Maybe spend a tad less on the bike and buy a couple of nice locks to protect your investment.

Unfortunately, all locks are breakable.
Even if they had locks, they would be leaving a major investment at the mercy of whatever criminal elements are about.
I, myself, will only ride my bike to places where I know I can store it within or where I will only lock it up temporarily, usually within my view.

[racc]

Originally Posted by Pennywise604

I am very new to cycling, in fact until 3 weeks ago, I hadn't been on a bike in years. I now really enjoy it! The only places I've been to though, are Iona Jetty down on Sea Island which is only flat, Watershed Park which is basically my backyard, but it's all forest, and Mud Bay Park/Boundary Bay Dikes which is also very flat. These are beautiful places, but it's not challenging enough. I don't mind hills in fact that's the best part. Colebrook Rd. has a pretty tough climb heading up to Boundary Park, I think a 100m. section reaches 12%.
What I want to know is, where are the best places to go for a good workout? Climbing an actual mountain would be too hard since I'm just starting, but what are some fairly steep hills in the Delta/Surrey/Langley area? I was thinking of trying 104th av.

TransLink's bike maps have green and yellows showing uphill sections as well as showing the type of cycling facilities on the route.
http://www.translink.ca/en/Cycling/Cycling-Routes.aspx

An option for a good workout on flat areas is timing your ride so you get headwinds.

[racc]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Unfortunately, all locks are breakable.
Even if they had locks, they would be leaving a major investment at the mercy of whatever criminal elements are about.
I, myself, will only ride my bike to places where I know I can store it within or where I will only lock it up temporarily, usually within my view.

Locking the bike with both a good u-lock and a cable lock helps as thieves are less likely to have tools to cut both with them. They also may avoid your bike and take ones that are easier to steal.

[WBC]

Originally Posted by IanS

I'm surprised that there's no posts about this from the bike lane advocates.

We now have some overlapping data from the Burrard Bridge bike lane "trial", from before and after installation of the separated bike lane. Specifically, there is now data for the period June 16-30 for both 2009 and 2010.

From my review, it looks like the average bike use for the bridge has gone up around 7%, from an average of 3763 in 2009 to 4040 in 2010. That's not as dramatic as the estimate touted by the City on the bike lane web page, but it has the advantage of being real.

I bet that web page and spreadsheet are going to disappear pretty quickly. I think that numbers for the July are going to be even lower because last years were influenced by novelty factor and mayor cycling up and down the bridge to boost the numbers ;-)

Now let me clarify that I am not against the dedicated bike lanes. I support the idea and I may take my kid when he gets old enough to ride downtown. I think that we should have more lanes on more major roads. What I am against is the hype and gimmicks from our city government that like to engage in political activism instead of taking care of the city (and that in the strictest sense is running fire & police protection, libraries, collecting garbage and running community centers). You guys are administrators of the city, not presidents, PMs or political activists.

The dedicated bike lanes are needed in their own right. However they are not:
- going to make city greener
- solve global warming
- help fight congestion.

[racc]

Originally Posted by WBC

Now let me clarify that I am not against the dedicated bike lanes. I support the idea and I may take my kid when he gets old enough to ride downtown. I think that we should have more lanes on more major roads. What I am against is the hype and gimmicks from our city government that like to engage in political activism instead of taking care of the city (and that in the strictest sense is running fire & police protection, libraries, collecting garbage and running community centers). You guys are administrators of the city, not presidents, PMs or political activists.

Politicians are elected by the people of the city to provide leadership. They promised in the campaign to do a trial reallocation of a lane on the bridge. They were elected by a landslide and followed through on their promise. "Political activism" is lobbying government to do something. The Burrard Bridge decision is hardly that. It is "merely" leadership.

It is actually staff that runs the day to day operations of the city and fortunately, this council has provided the oversight necessary to ensure staff does its job.

Originally Posted by WBC

The dedicated bike lanes are needed in their own right. However they are not:
- going to make city greener
- solve global warming
- help fight congestion.

Actually, bike lanes are the best chance of doing all of this. They are far less expensive than providing public transit (which does need to be improved as well). If you compare Vancouver to similar sized European cities, our transit mode share is comparable and so is our walking mode share. Where we are way behind is cycling. Providing a network of separated bike lanes is likely the easiest and least expensive way to give more people increased transportation choice.

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by Pennywise604

This bike I've had for a while actually. It's a heavy bike, but being a 21 speed, it makes everything very easy.

I've thought about Ontario St. before, as it does have a big climb. But Vancouver is too far, and me having a fear of heights on bridges wouldn't help at all. I think going along a highway is too much though for now. The cars are moving way too fast, since I can't climb all that fast. It'd be scary! I was wondering through Langley and South Surrey, there's got to be some good ones. 0 Ave, is very hilly until 216th, but that's all I know.

If you can overcome your fear of heights the Alex Fraser /Queensbourgh bridges is a good bike route to take to the BC Parkway from Surrey. You can then ride to Vancouver and then back on the Central Valley Greenway back. For rides with some hills you can take the trail on Colebrook and ride to the Delta Watershed where there are cross country and multi use bike trails. You can climb up into North Delta on Lyon Rd. There are flat multiuse trails from Highway 10 to the Alex Fraser adjacent to the railway.

In South Surrey I would loop Crescent Road, visit Crescent Beach and then go back to 128 St to Marine Drive through the beach area of White Rock, then up 160th st to 16 ave. This area would provide you with some good hill climbing.

[SpongeG]

removed...

[officedweller]

Wrong thread.

Here's an update on that TO bike lane:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/arti...-unveiled?bn=1

[SpongeG]

the two threads names are too similiar all you is metro vancvouer...

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Here's an update on that TO bike lane:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/arti...-unveiled?bn=1

If you're actually going to take the political leap to remove a vehicle lane then I think it makes a lot more sense to use the space for a single two-way bike lane that's physically separated from traffic the way Vancouver did with Dunsmuir. Using the space for two 1.5m painted lanes is an improvement over nothing, but nowhere near as inviting for cyclists as Dumsuir's separated lanes are, IMHO.

[Pennywise604]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

If you can overcome your fear of heights the Alex Fraser /Queensbourgh bridges is a good bike route to take to the BC Parkway from Surrey. You can then ride to Vancouver and then back on the Central Valley Greenway back. For rides with some hills you can take the trail on Colebrook and ride to the Delta Watershed where there are cross country and multi use bike trails. You can climb up into North Delta on Lyon Rd. There are flat multiuse trails from Highway 10 to the Alex Fraser adjacent to the railway.

In South Surrey I would loop Crescent Road, visit Crescent Beach and then go back to 128 St to Marine Drive through the beach area of White Rock, then up 160th st to 16 ave. This area would provide you with some good hill climbing.

I will definetly try the Crescent Beach one, as I know the area fairly well, and love it also. So beautiful along the Marine!

I just found out how steep the Colebrook hill really is, and I'm wondering something. The Colebrook hill reaches a maximum gradient of 20% for 70m. right at the start of the climb The total climb I think is maybe 8% averaged out. It's a total ascent of 200 ft. in .9 km. So I've been looking at different hills/mountains (<== maybe) to climb that you guys told me about, and through maps. The one I really noticed was the Old Grouse Mountain Hwy. (Mountain Hwy) I'm not saying I want to climb that, but do mountain roads on the North Shore have the same gradients as Colebrook would, or are they less severe. Climbing that first 70m. on Colebrook really hurts, but I've gone 6 out of 7 times with climbing the whole way non-stop, the only exception was the first time I ever tried it. I wouldn't be able to handle a 20% climb for longer than 200m. But I'd really love to spend a day heading up one of the 3 mountains, no matter how long it takes!