Regional Cycling Strategy
Regional Cycling Strategy
As the planners and managers of the transportation system on the South Coast, TransLink is involved with many modes of transportation. Most people know us as operators of buses (including community shuttles), SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express. What many people don’t know about TransLink is that we’re also responsible for AirCare, Intelligent Transportation Systems programs, the Major Road Network and cycling and commuter options.
As the South Coast of British Columbia continues to become more populated, more emphasis is being placed on alternatives to single-person automobiles. TransLink and various stakeholders from across Metro Vancouver have coordinated actions for governments and agencies at all levels, the private sector and community organizations resulting in the Regional Cycling Strategy.
This plan is aimed at greatly increasing trips by cycling, transit and walking by creating a fully integrated, multi-modal transportation network over the next 30 years. Together with our partners, the strategy aims to make Metro Vancouver known around the world by 2040 as a place where cycling is a reliable and common form of transportation. This aim has two main goals:
Goal 1: More Cycling
More people cycle more often so that, by 2040, 15% of all trips less than 8km are made by bicycle.Goal 2: Safer Cycling
Cycling feels safer so that, by 2040, 50% of all cycling trips are made by females. Cycling is safer so that, by 2040, 50% fewer people are killed or seriously injured while cycling.
The RCS came about as a result of background studies and three workshops with over 100 stakeholders. The RCS is also tied into the goals of Transport 2040 and the Seville Charter. It will most certainly be a topic of interest at Velo-City 2012, which will be held in Vancouver next year.
So now that the RCS is available for everyone to read, I’m wondering what people think about the aim of the strategy and goals that will get us there. Leave you comments about it. If (as I assume to be true) we’d all like to see more people cycling, walking and taking transit, then constructive comments about how to achieve that can hopefully get us there!
The strategy looks promising. With Provincial support (to carry out some of the strategies and to provide Translink with additional funding) we will become a world class cycling region.
While not that important, the cover picture is somewhat drab and uninspiring for such a visionary document. Translink is usually quite good at the marketing of their publications. Not so much this time. It looks like Translink is still clinging to the notion that helmets are all we need to provide cycling safety? Interesting, since ‘helmets’ are not mentioned once in the document.
Well, it would be nice to have a regional strategy. At the moment it seems kind of fragmented. You can get a map of the Vancouver cycling routes, and you can get a map of the Richmond cycling routes. But when you ride from Vancouver to Richmond, as I do frequently, most of the routes take you on a sidewalk over a bridge and dump you off at a place which is hostile to cycling.
Safer cycling would be good for sure! I feel very nervous on a bike when riding on the street.
Paul: That’s an interesting comment about cycling from Vancouver to Richmond. I’ve heard from people in the cycling community that cycling infrastructure is good in many of the Metro Vancouver municipalities, but not so good between them. I think this is a topic that is important. I’m forwarding it onto some other people at TransLink working more closely on the strategy. Thanks!
Anon: I’ll also pass your comment along about bike helmets!
Between Vancouver and Richmond, there has been great thought when they building connections in recent decades.
The Alex Fraser has a healthly sidewalk for cyclists since 1986.
The No 2 bridge was built with bike lanes when it opened in 1993.
When they resurfaced the Oak street bridge in 1995, they added a guard rail to prevent cyclists from falling into traffic.
The George Massey Tunnel comes with bike shuttle… http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/driver_info/route-info/massey/massey.htm
And finally when they put the Canada Line line, there was a bike/pedestrain link created on the West side.
Your tax dollars at work.
BTW…. Richmond has a regional cycling page…
http://www.richmond.ca/services/ttp/cycling/regional.htm