Some businesses don’t have the appetite for putting a Vernon road on a diet. The city wants to reduce 43rd Avenue, from 32nd to 27th
streets, from four to three lanes to improve safety and promote bicycle
use. But some merchants say the project will be a dead-end for profits. “All they (city) are doing is telling us how their
arrangement will be. It will just be a giant pain for us,” said Gary
Krieger, Tireland owner. As part of the proposal, the three lanes would include
one each way for traffic and a centre two-way, left-turn lane. The space
gained by eliminating the fourth lane would be for cyclists. Krieger is concerned delivery trucks won’t have
sufficient room to turn off 43rd Avenue and residents will avoid the
area if fewer lanes lead to congestion. “A lot of people drive by and see a tire shop and stop.
I spent a lot of money last year making my business more visible,” he
said. City figures indicate that 14,000 vehicles a day use 43rd Avenue and that could climb to 18,000 a day by 2031. Harald Kober, Roko Service owner, says current city zoning allows for industrial activities along this section of 43rd Avenue. “There is no destination here (for cyclists). Are you going to put your kid on a bike on 43rd Avenue?” he said. Kober says there are 100 jobs in the area related to the automobile sector and light industry. “Look after something for us,” he said of business retention. Kober points to adjacent 29th Street, which has been narrowed with sidewalks and bike paths. “You can’t take trucks down this road to supply the businesses,” he said. While some businesses are opposed to a new traffic model, others remain undecided. “If they tear up the road and do like 29th Street, it
could interfere with business. If there’s just turning lanes, it may not
interfere much,” said Dale Wicks, with the Sunshine Corner Cafe.
Travis Wise, with Wise Guys Car Wash, has been looking at similar projects in other communities. “The road diet could help business and revitalize the commercial strip,” he said. “Sometimes it increases traffic flow and makes it easier to turn on and off a street.” City council has yet to make a decision on the staff recommendation for 43rd Avenue changes. “If the businesses don’t want it and they’re not
comfortable with it, chances are we’ll leave it alone,” said Mayor Wayne
Lippert. “But people need to do more research, including myself.” The future of the project is tied to the city possibly receiving a $868,000 government grant. “We’re not likely to hear this year that we can do it.
It’s likely to be next year before we can implement it,” said Amanda
Watson, a transportation technician. Staff recently met with businesses and residents as part of a consultation process. “We will report the comments back to council,” said Watson. “We don’t want to promote anything detrimental to business.”
Watson says the road diet concept arose because of
reported accidents and requests to connect bike lanes east and west of
43rd Avenue. “They have been successful in reducing accidents while
maintaining capacity for vehicles in other communities,” said Watson,
adding that there shouldn’t be any negative impact on businesses. “They don’t prevent access for large trucks because there is the larger centre turn lane (providing space to navigate).”
4 comments:
There needn't be any research done to suggest what is obvious. Cooperation within the REGION is paramount. That being said, perhaps, just perhaps, some research money would be put to better use. Why does the community of Vernons leaders want to turn every street upside down of late? Safety, affordability and marketing a strategy that emphasizes the presently growing and aging population, and congestion is a broader concern and would reflect the present need.
As a driver, I personally don't think with all of the congestion downtown, pedestrians, school zones, treed boulevards and senior pedestrians etc. that this is sound thinking.
I feel outraged, by the scam, that we the people are supposed to ride bicycles, rather than transit. Small efficient transit that can accomodate the new world,
Now I embrace that .........
One has to look objectivly at what has been done with the narrowing of City streets - there is a lesson that has been taught and has yet to be learnt !
The narrowing of a street 29th Street and 20th Street does not :
1. ) does not - Allow for easier exiting from travel lanes to side streets and roads and driveways (also a safety benefit)
2.) does not - Provide space for disabled vehicles, and bus stops
3.) does not - Provide a place for the courier or mail delivery to stop on the street.
4. ) does not - Provide space to make evasive manoeuvres
5. ) does not - Accommodate driver error;
6. ) does not - Add a recovery area to regain control of a vehicle;
7. ) does not - Provide increased sight distance for through vehicles and for vehicles entering the roadway (in cut sections or brushy areas in rural areas, and in urban areas with many sight obstructions);
8.) does not - Provide lateral clearance to roadside objects such as guardrail, signs and poles;
9.) does not - Contribute to driving ease and reduced driver strain;
10.) does not - Reduce passing conflicts between motor vehicles and bicyclists and pedestrians;
11.) does not - Make the crossing pedestrian more visible to motorists, the landscape design hides pedestrians
12. ) does not - Provide for storm water discharge farther from the travel lanes, reducing hydroplaning. This also reduces splash and spray to following vehicles and nearby pedestrians and bicyclists.
13.) does not - provide more intersection and safe stopping sight distance;
14.) does not - provide greater effective turning radius for trucks;
15.) does not - provide space for off-tracking of truck's rear wheels in curved sections;
16.) does not - Provide space for bicyclists to ride at their own space;
17.) does not - Provide space between motor vehicles and pedestrians, increasing pedestrians level of comfort
18.) does not - Provide space for maintenance operations and snow storage
19.) does not - Provide Discharge water further from the travel lanes, reducing the undermining of the base and subgrade ;
need more be said.
that was good!
Lets face it-the City of Vernon mayor and council and senior beaurocrats are not using common sense,are out of control and need to be replaced in November
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