Biking to work gets easier and safer

By Rebecca Tebrake, Vancouver Sun

May 9, 2009


Cyclists hitting the road on Monday for Bike to Work Week will find their commutes safer, faster and more relaxing.

So says the City of Vancouver, which has spent around $20 million on improvements to its 400 kilometres of bike routes over the past three years.

Improvements include two new greenways designated for cyclists and pedestrians, five new bikeways, extended bike boulevards such as Heather Street and increased numbers of cyclist signal buttons at busy intersections.

Work will continue to the tune of $12 million in the next three years said Scott Edwards, of the city's greenways and neighbourhood transportation branch.

Innovations such as the Carrall Street Greenway provide cyclists with some of the easiest and likely safest commutes in the city.

"On the Carrall Street Greenway, I have never had a problem with running into other people.

"It is very clear where I need to go and which space is mine," said cyclist and Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (VACC) Bike to Work Week organizer Erin O'Melinn.

Cyclists have their own space on this tree-lined greenway connecting False Creek to Burrard Inlet.

The route features steel barriers or well-marked lanes to separate cyclists from both unpredictable pedestrians and vehicles.

"It's great to have a separated lane and we recommend that for more places in the city," O'Melinn said.

Cyclists say bike-only paths are the most desirable route, according to a University of B.C. study.

Vancouverites can expect more greenways, Edwards said, listing Helmcken, downtown and along the Fraser River as possible future sites.

O'Melinn said people want to bike, but their interest fades at the thought of being sandwiched by traffic, maneouvring around pedestrians or arriving sweaty to a showerless workplace.

She said greenways and bikeways would certainly help boost cycling numbers.

That's good news for city hall, which has been trying to get Vancouverites on two wheels for years.

In 2005, council adopted the goal of having 10 per cent of all trips in the city by bicycle by 2010.

Today that number is only 3.7 per cent.

Point Grey, Kitsilano, South Cambie and Grandview-Woodlands buck the trend, with 11 per cent of commuters travelling by bike.

However, the longest commute is from suburbs such as Maple Ridge. Last year, three per cent of Bike to Work Week commuters logged impressive 60-kilometre round trips.

Numbers of cyclists from all neighbourhoods in Metro Vancouver will be bolstered considerably by the third annual Bike to Work Week set to start Monday.

The event, organized by VACC, encourages commuters to bike and track their progress.

VACC will have commuter stations set up along popular routes to provide bikers with snacks, coffee, bike tune-ups and prizes.

More than 8,000 people are expected to participate, a huge jump from last year's 5,879 participants.

"One of the things that statistically provides the greatest safety benefits for cyclists is safety in numbers," he said.

Approximately 1,300 crashes and 1,400 injuries involve cyclists each year in B.C. according to ICBC.

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