2019-09-12 Minutes

• Agenda additions - ACTION: Don to provide 1 page committee summary to Fiona for AGM
• Present - Jay, Fred, Erika, Ian Rose-Innes, Peter S, Fiona, Antje, Rob, Martyn, Peter T

2019 Objectives

• 3 Top Priority Bikeways + Active Transportation Coordinator
  • ACTION: Prior to Oct 7 delegation Don to update slide deck with more on what HUB has done in the last year and also add funding sources from HQ for Council delegations
  • ACTION: Prior to Oct 7 delegation Don to add more to link HUB goals and Community Energy and Emissions Planning (CEEP) goals & Climate emergency

General

• TransLink Regional Transportation Strategy (Transport 2050) collecting input until September for plan to be completed late 2020.
• Draft Whitepaper on economic impacts of installing bike lanes.
  • Erika working on 1 page infographic slide
• HUB State of Cycling project
  • Classifications: municipalities are referencing the document and are aware of the classifications

• Letters
  • Brenda re Dollarton/Cap U residences - ACTION: Jay to acknowledge letter, add note that we have included in 20 in 20 improvements and follow up with District to see if these will be implemented this year
  • Don re broken rails on causeway
    • And Geoff re 2nd narrow railings & debris
    • See MOTI below
  • Rhiannon re Ironworkers signage creating conflict
    • Jay sent proposed signage quick fix to help provide positive guidance - [1] see responses in MoTI section
    • Also sent to Steve Carney for DNV to submit / coordinate

• Bowen Island - Have $$ for cross island bike route
  • need a champion to drive this
    • can contact BI HUB members and yahoo/twitter
    • need someone to help them get organized.
    • BI councillor interested in an assessment ride.
    • ACTION: Peter S knows a contact on the island and will reach out

Events - Fred

• Parkgate Community- early September
• Rivers Day - Sept 22
• Fall Bike to Work Week - Oct 21-25 2019
  • Celebration station Oct 22 at NE and of 2nd narrows
  • ACTION: Don to obtain flags / signs to assist in slowing down cyclists on approach to station

City of North Vancouver - Erika/Heather

Projects and Council update

Walk CNV City's walking plan WALK CNV was adopted at Council Sept 9. It is pedestrian focused but according to Tony: "Among many many goodies is a commitment to develop a strategy for MUPs to manage safety for pedestrians as volumes increase." We need to push for separated cycling facilities as MUPs largely inappropriate for commuting and focuses too much on cycling just for recreation. See next item for potential inroad.

Council's 2018-2022 strategic plan Envisions providing active and sustainable and ways for people to move around as part of the broader "healthiest small city in the world" vision. https://www.cnv.org/your-government/mayor-and-council/council-strategic-plan

Esplanade Protected Bike Lanes. A new protected bike lane will be ready shortly along the Prominade development. This design has room for sidewalk, trees, bike lane, trees then car lane. there will be a textured surface separating the sidewalk and bike lane (similar to Carrall St approaching Expo Blvd in Vancouver) with the street trees between the bike lane and the curb. It will set the precedent for any new lanes. A design concept for Esplanade will be presented to council in September. Council will approve or not. If approved the concepts will go to public consultation. HUB will be asked to review more detailed designs.

New Mosquito Creek Bridge there will be wide sidewalks for peds and cyclists and a pathway underneath to connect to the trail, though with the off Marine bike route, the Marine Drive bike lanes are not likely to stay. ** Marine Dr Mosquito Creek Bridge

Mackay MUP Parking has been removed in some segments. A wide MUP has been constructed on top of the dyke being built for flood mitigation and there will also be bike lanes on both sides with parked car buffers in places. Widening is complete but there is still no affirmative signage/pavement markings to facilitate crossing the intersection without multiple stages. ACTION: Antje to follow up with email requesting proper signage and markings.

New building at 3rd and Chesterfield is nearing completion (anyone know the status?) with cycling facility integrated.

* eBike Share Update Postponed - Staff expect to be able to share more information later this summer. New North Shore Mobility Options Coordinator, Zach Mathurin He will be the main point of contact for e-bike share on behalf of the three municipalities.

* Bikes Mean Business and the Lower Lonsdale BIA Central Lonsdale Engagement and infographic forthcoming. Antje requested links to past successes. Martyn noted Cumberland and Kelowna examples. ACTION: Antje to reach out to Brian Patterson as he may have worked on these.

* Oct 7th - Delegation to Council.

District of North Vancouver - Jay/Giacomo/Antje

• 29th Street protected bike lanes (Tempe Cres to Lynn Valley Rd)
  • work is underway.
  • send thank you to councillors and those who send supporting emails
  • need before and after metrics to demonstrate success - concerned that District has not collected a lot of baseline data and facility will open in October. See link to ITE journal for best practice: http://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ITE/G108559_ITE_August2019/index.php#/44
  • Steve Carney discussing bollard options with Don. District is looking at a number of options - may not install initially

• Last meeting with Staff- August 7, 2019
  • HUB provided comments on wayfinding signage plan for 15th and Lower Capilano area
  • Lower Mountain and E Keith crossing conflicts with left and right turn vehicles - letter detailing concerns submitted - follow up conflict observation was sent - still no response or change
  • Ross Road bridge replacements - no cycling infrastructure included in project (widened bridges with new sidewalks) and minimal effort to manage school pedestrian/cyclist traffic during construction - staff are pausing to assess impacts of 29th Street completion before proceeding with new installations
  • Lynn Valley Road - pilot project uphill bike lane from Mountain to Kilmer - this has been delayed as staff are pausing to assess impacts of 29th Street completion before proceeding with new installations
  • Status of other pilot projects - planning is underway for extending bikeways into Edgemont Village which would include Queens Road (current pilot termination). Both a direct and "scenic" routes are being developed with the direct getting priority
  • staff will let us know when DNV receives grants and other outside funding for cycling projects - we can communicate the good news to HUB members and publicly (social media)

• Oct 7th - Delegation to Council to present our goals and request implementation plan and funding.

District of West Vancouver - Peter S===

• Klee Wyck to 3rd - http://wiki.bikehub.ca/northshore/images/thumb/f/fb/Hugo_Ray_-_looking_west_from_Hwy1_Capilano_bridge_2019-08-08_IMG_2437.JPG/800px-Hugo_Ray_-_looking_west_from_Hwy1_Capilano_bridge_2019-08-08_IMG_2437.JPG
• HUB NS delegation presentation to the mayor and council
• Ambleside Waterfront Plan

Communications & Outreach - Heather/Antje/James

• Channels
  • Yahoo Group -
  • Twitter - Antje sends out local news
  • FaceBook - James has offered to maintain a HUB NS account
  • HUB membership (NS)
• Communications
  • Upcoming HUB Events & meetings
  • Current cycling news & NS Issues
  • Publicizing opportunities to provide input (Public meetings, online surveys, ...)
  • Request for support of improvements & projects
  • Annual committee update - Don
• How to expand our reach & effectiveness
  • Other groups - Cycle clubs, NSMBA
  • Local media (NS News & Global Canadian)
  • Presentations to Councils, business groups(BIA), schools?
  • Martyn shared success of street party for school, painting of mural, coincided with culvert replacement closure. Will be filming results and share "playbook" for application elsewhere.
  • Reach out to Charles Gauthier for support with BIA engagement related to B-Line, etc.
• Recruiting "interested but concerned" people
  • Membership coordinator?
  • adopt-a-gap
  • reach out to people who cc us on letters/emails to governments.
• Create a library of good/bad infrastructure on the North Shore
  • Need a volunteer(s) and a list of locations.
  • Want to stay positive - "shaming" with worst bike path nomination could backfire

District of West Vancouver - Peter

• Hugo Ray connector - work is in progress, however, few people passing on the highway know what this is about. ACTION: Peter S to see if a typical project sign could be installed to promote the new connection over the river. Adding visible wayfinding signage will also help to promote the project.
• Delegation presentation to mayor and council - potentially Oct 7.
• Concern from council member that "Active Transportation Coordinator" is essentially John Caliamente's current role.

BC Ferries - Peter S

• Fall 2019: - Further public engagement, will share dates when we get them.

Translink - Fred/Antje

Not discussed

MOTI - Antje/Giacomo/Jay

• Lions Gate Bridge west sidewalk closure this fall/winter
  • email from MOTI to HUB-NS about upcoming Lions Gate Bridge reversible lane control system upgrade project
  • west sidewalk will be closed two months
  • Antje to arrange meeting with MOTI to provide HUB input to facilitate safe movements of cyclists and pedestrians during the closure
  • Obtain current contacts
• Mountain Highway Interchange
  • interchange is nearing completion with top lift paving being completed to remove bumps, signage has been poor throughout project - need to push MOTI to include proper accommodation in contracts. Trail connections reportedly open end of October however project is a year behind schedule
  • East side Lynn Creek pathway under Keith / Highway 1 reopened for school year
• Ironworkers Memorial Bridge signage
  • Operations Manager Don Legault responded to complaint regarding conflicts on the pathways and a proposed wayfinding signage plan prepared by Jay. In order for a lane or path to be used in both directions by cyclists, the minimum width must be three metres, which is why the ministry installed signs showing the direction of travel across the bridge for cyclists. MoTI District staff to review the current signs and their locations. They will then ask their Traffic Operations engineering group to review the signing on the IWMB sidewalks, to determine if they need to be updated or changed to different signs or any new signs need to be added. These may include; possible speed limits on the sidewalks of the bridge, Bell or Yell when overtaking signs, one way signs if deemed appropriate, or other alternatives.
  • Note from Antje: This issue has been raised by individuals since the new sidewalks have been completed in 2015. HUB-NS discussed several times with the MOTI bridge project manager. Because of the insufficient sidewalk width and resulting safety concerns, especially considering the significant grade and cycling speeds on the bridge, HUB-NS did not challenge MOTI's decision for one-way signage. A highway overpass on the south side of the bridge would solve perceived concerns about one-way bike travel across the bridge (along with the planned Main-Dollarton interchange improvements) and increase connectivity on the Vancouver side where the highway ramps and tunnels create significant barriers to cycling and walking. If there is committee interest in moving ahead with the highway overpass we can work with HUB Vancouver and BCCC.
  • MoTI are currently designing the Main/Dollarton interchange as part of the Lower Lynn interchanges project. The cycling connections will be changing as the project is constructed. They will also be including way-finding signs as part of the design, the Project Manager will be reviewing the examples Jay Jardine provided as part of their review.
  • A follow up response from Gabriel Lord confirmed that MoTI looked at this location as part of the 20 in 20 challenge and suggested similar upgrades for clearer delineation of routes under the bridge. They have not completed their review of the ‘Quick Fix’ options yet, but the findings at the Main Street/Hwy 1 site, along with the other locations, will be passed on to the team to aid in finding a solution to the problem once they are complete.
• Ironworks and Lions Gate sidewalk maintainance
  • Both bridges have the same style of sidewalk fence and both have sustained significant damage in spots due to vehicle impacts. Despite social media attention, very little urgency has been shown by the MOTI in getting these fixed. ACTION: Jay to draft letter with copy to MLAs and keep Burnaby / Vancouver HUB groups informed.
  • The other issue is weeds and debris encroaching on pathway space, particularly SB on Lions Gate. Will include in letter.