Vancouver 2040 Transportation Plan - Transit Game Changer

[Jonno]

http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=b1a1df9b-f9aa-4b25-bd4c-2491a15fdfb8

2040 plan hinges on transit 'game-changer'
Approved strategy accelerates move toward more bicycle, pedestrian traffic, fewer car trips

Sam Cooper, The Province

Published: Thursday, November 01, 2012

Vancouver's new long-term plan to dramatically reduce car trips in favour of transit, cycling and walking is the most progressive transportation strategy in North America, but it could still miss the mark, according to the city's ex-chief planner.

The city's 2040 Transportation Plan, which passed Wednesday, will transform Vancouver by shrinking car use while widening sidewalks and increasing cycling networks and green spaces, planners say.

The plan includes aggressive targets of making at least two-thirds of trips on foot, bike or transit by 2040, and eliminating all traffic fatalities.

A new transportation plan may not go far enough in meeting the city's ambition of being the greenest in the world, says ex-chief planner Brent Toderian.
Jason Payne, PNG

The key in reducing vehicle traffic is expanding transit in major transportation corridors such as Broadway, Hastings and 49th Avenue, the plan says. Planners envision future homes and job places densely built along the corridors. But a major challenge will be raising funds from a tapped-out TransLink and austerity-minded senior governments.

In council Wednesday, Mayor Gregor Robertson acknowledged that unless the city can fund an "urgent need" for new rapid-transit infrastructure along the Broadway corridor, the plan could flop.

Ex-chief planner Brent Toderian, who helped shape the plan before leaving city hall in 2012, said Vancouver has been moving away from the car for a while, but not where it matters most. "The trend toward the car is going in the wrong direction on Broadway," Toderian said. "The city needs a game-changer around transit funding."

Toderian said the plan "with its targets and bold moves" leads North America in terms of reducing congestion and emissions associated with vehicles. But it may not go far enough to meet the city's ambition of being the "greenest city" in the world by 2020.

"The irony of building a plan like this is, it can be too provocative for local citizens, and not significant enough to meet the city's goals," he said.

Council passed plan amendments Wednesday to accelerate work on about 50 pedestrian and cycling safety "hot spots."

Erin O'Melin of the cyclist group HUB applauded expected upgrades in danger areas such as the nexus at the north side of Burrard bridge.

Charles Gauthier of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association said his group approves of congestion reduction and transit upgrades in the plan, because polls show businesses are failing to draw a significant number of customers who don't want to drive on traffic-snarled downtown streets.

Before a vote Wednesday, the Vision Vancouver majority council downplayed concerns of a "war on the car" and lack of consultation around about 180 plan initiatives.

Vision Coun. Geoff Meggs said citizens who claim they haven't been consulted enough about Vision Vancouver's green-transportation and bike-friendly future must have been in "a coma" during the past two elections.

scooper@theprovince.com

[ozbob]

One for the 'Car Do' team ...