The City of Vancouver is collecting feedback on improvements to Cornwall and Point Grey Road in Kitsilano. The possibility of a new separated bike lane has garnered most of the attention in the media so far, but opportunities to improve the pedestrian experience are also important. I bike and run that route a lot and the lack of sidewalk space is just as concerning to me as the harrowing traffic when I’m cycling. The Running Room has been pushing its members to give feedback, so this isn’t just about cyclists.
If you want to offer feedback, there are two more open houses: January 31, 7-9pm at Queen Mary Elementary School and February 2, 10am-2pm at Kitsilano Community Centre. You can also fill out an online survey.
There’s a few competing ideas the city is considering. The more interesting ones include a realignment of the intersection at Burrard and Cornwall that will make it easier for pedestrians to cross the street. There’s a potential separated bike lane along Cornwall (the scariest section to bike), which could be the first separated bike lane outside of downtown. And farther west, along Point Grey Road, one idea is to expand two parks across the street creating road closures that will limit traffic to locals and cyclists.
Canadian Veggie 
Reblogged this on PedalWorks.
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Overall the plan looks fine to me. It’s still in the stage of generalities, the details will be up to what feedback they get and what’s possibly physically.
I don’t know if a separated lane on Cornwall is a certainty. We need to keep asking for that otherwise we’ll end up with being given a traffic-calmed York Avenue as the only cycling option.
York is a pretty good route east of Arbutus but is too hilly west of it for most people who end up using Cornwall and Point Grey Road. That two-block bit between MacDonald and Trafalgar has need of something separated more than anywhere else as the sole alternative is up a huge hill.
There was a lot of hope that the Comox Greenway would have separated lanes but there was disappointment as it turned out there will be only traffic calming with a few short parts being separated. I hope this one goes farther. I realize that it serves a different purpose than a greenway. This will be a commuting and shopping route.
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You’re right. A separated lane is not a certainty, although it is my preferred solution. I hope others voice their support as well.
The hills just kill the bike route south of Cornwall/Point Grey Road.
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True. The street layout of a lot of cities have the main routes go through flat areas because at one time it was horses, bicycles and the early automobiles using it. Now years later when cars can easily go up hills, they still get prioritized on the nice flat routes and those cycling are told to “get some exercise” when they put bike routes on hilly places.
I think we should really push for separated lanes on Cornwall and Point Grey Road from MacDonald to the park at the very least if not all the way to Burrard.
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Updated designs are now posted on the City’s website: http://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/point-grey-cornwall.aspx
Of note, the intersection at Burrard and Cornwall will be greatly improved. A separated bike lane will be installed on York Avenue (which parallels Cornwall but has a bigger hill). There are two options for improving Point Grey Road – a local street with closures or a one-way street with a separated bike lane.
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[…] chained to bike rack and posts outside. That’s a lot of cyclists who would have used the new Point Grey bike route to get to Jericho Beach if it was ready. When Grant Lawrence asked the crowd if they wanted city […]
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