cycling blind spots & missed opportunities in the salt spring island master plan for upgrading the...
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7/30/2019 Cycling Blind Spots & Missed Opportunities in the Salt Spring Island Master Plan for Upgrading the Fulford Harbour Terminal
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CYCLINGBLINDSPOTSANDMISSEDOPPORTUNITIESINTHESALT
SPRINGISLANDMASTERPLANFORUPGRADINGTHEFULFORD
HARBOURTERMINAL
SUBMITTEDBY:ISLANDPATHWAYSBICYCLEWORKINGGROUP
SUBMITTEDTO:BCFERRIES,CAPITALPLANNING&ANALYSIS
ThisisoneofaseriesofphotographsofFulfordSchoolchildrenthathavebeenmountedonbuildingsin
theVillage.Theyarepartof alarger inside/outprojectthatgivesvoiceto unheardcommunities.Niks
wishissimple:Iwantbikepathsonislandbecausehopefullymorepeoplewillridebikes!
http://www.insideoutproject.net/#/sp/2cPYVW
September2011
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DATE: 15September2011
FROM: BrendaGuild&JohnRowlandson,BicycleWorkingGroup
TO: EmmaMcWalter,Manager,CapitalPlanning&Analysis
BritishColumbiaFerryServices,Inc.
SUBJECT: CYCLINGBLINDSPOTSANDMISSEDOPPORTUNITIESINTHESALT
SPRINGISLANDMASTERPLANFORUPGRADINGTHEFULFORD
HARBOURTERMINAL
Background
On10July2011,BCFerries(BCF)andMinistryofTransportation&Infrastructure(MOTI)
staffattendedanOpenHouseto:a)presentadraftMasterPlan(MP)toupgradethe
SaltSpringFulfordandVesuviusterminalsand;b)solicitresidentfeedback.TheMaster
Planspansa20-yearperiod.
AlthoughtheMPaddressesterminalupgradesinVesuviusandFulford,thisbriefrelates
onlytotheFulfordHarbourfacility.TheFulfordterminalandtheMOTIroadbedwhich
augmentsmotorvehicleaccess/egresstoferriesisthebusiestofallBCFminorroutes.
Onaverageabout640,000passengersincluding5,000cycliststravelthrough
Fulfordeachyear(Table1).
Thousandsmorecyclistsaugmenttheiron-islandholidayexperiencebybringing
bikeshereontheirvehicles.
TheIslandPathways2010CyclingSurveyshowsthatmostresident(76.4%)and
visitingcyclists(61.4%)enterandleaveSaltSpringIslandfromtheFulfordterminal.
Table1:FulfordTerminalPassenger/CyclistVolumes2009-10&2010-11
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ThemajorityofcyclistscometoSaltSpringbetweenMayandSeptember.Their
presencecorrespondswiththelargestvolumesofpedestrianandmotorvehicletraffic
throughFulfordVillageandthehighestlevelsofterminalcongestion.
CurrentState
TheMPisaresponsetolongstandingdemandsforimprovementtothefacilitybySalt
SpringIslandersanditinerantterminalusers.Specifically,ithighlightsfourmotorvehicle
andpedestrianchallengesandproposessolutionsacrosstwophasesofwork(Table2).1
Table2:Challenges&SolutionsIdentifiedbyBCFerriesfortheFulfordTerminal
Challenge ProposedSolutionLimitedholdingcompoundcapacity Phase1:widenroadandestablish3lanes(one
holdinglane2activetrafficcorridors)
Safetyoffootpassengers Phase1:improvefootpassengeraccessand
exitto/fromterminal
Nodesignatedpick-upanddrop
off-area
Phase2:createpickupanddropoffarea
Limitedparkingforcustomers Phase2:createshort-termparking
Itassumesthattrafficvolumes(thenumberofpassengers)andmodalsplit(thewaysin
whichferryuserstravelonvesselse.g.walking,cycling,drivingmotorizedvehicles)will
remainmoreorlessconstantacrossthe20-yearplanninghorizon.
FutureState
Overall,theMPproposestoexpandtheexistingparkingareaandtheappropriationof
publicroadbedforuseasaholdinglaneandpedestrianwalkway(Figure2).ThePlan
anticipatesthatthesemeasureswillmitigatecurrentsafetyandtransportationdemand
issuesattheterminal,i.e.theywillreduceriskofpersonalinjuryanddecrease
congestionforusersandresidents.
GapsAnalysis
Noconsiderationisgiventocyclistsorcyclingaccess/egresschallengesintheMP.Other
thanthedepictionoftheexistingbikelanewithinthePhaseIIcompletiondrawings
(Figure1),cyclistsarenotrepresentedinconceptualorengineeringdrawingsnorare
cyclingsolutionsidentified.
1
Unless otherwise noted, references are to the PowerPoint slide deck presented by BC Ferries staff at the10 July meeting. Copies of the Master Plan were unavailable.
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Figure1:Phase2CompletionProposedParkingLotExpansionandIncorporationof
theExistingBikeLaneintotheUpgradedTerminal
TheabsenceofcyclistsandcyclingissuesintheMPisstartling.TheMPsfailureto
identifycyclingrisksorbenefitssuggeststhatgoodfortunewillprevailandthatserious
cyclingaccidentswillbeavertedasaresultofBCFinaction.
ThisvoidalsoreflectstheincorrectBCFassumptionthatmodalsplitandmodalvolumes
onitsvesselswillremainmoreorlessconstant.Agrowingbodyofevidencesupportstheviewthatcyclingasaday-to-dayandcommutingactivityisgrowinginCanadaand
acrossNorthAmerica:2
IncreasingnumbersofCanadiansarecyclingforhealthandfitness.Seniors,
particularlyintheGreaterVictoriaandVancouverareas,areadoptingcyclingasa
strategytoimproveandmaintaincardio-vascularfitness.
Municipalitiesarecreatingnewbikelanestomeetcarbonreductionrequirements
Individualsareusingtheirbikestoreducetheirpersonalcarbonfootprint
Theelectricbikeisbeingadoptedasawayfornewandoldcycliststocopewiththe
undulatingterrainandlongdistancescommontoBC
BusesandotherformsofmasstransitthroughoutBritishColumbiahaveadopted
bicyclecarriersandmanymunicipalitiesactivelyencourageuserstomakemulti-
modal(bike/walk/transit)travelchoices
Massproductionandmarketingofbicyclesmakethemthemostaffordableformof
transportationinNorthAmerica
2
The City of Vancouver, for instance, cites cycling as its fastest growing method of transportation: nearly60,000 trips are made by bike each day (http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/transport/cycling/stats.htm).
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Inadditiontotheseregional,nationalandglobaltrends,theMPfailstoacknowledge
SaltSpringasoneofNorthAmericasmostpromisingcycletourismdestinations.Salt
SpringIslandisinproximityto4ofthetop5cyclingcitiesonthecontinent.Cycling
modeshareinVictoriais5.6%(thehighestinCanada).Vancouverisclosebehindwitha
3.7%cyclingmodeshare.Similarly,Portland,Oregonhasthehighestcyclingmodeshare
intheUnitedStatesat5.7%andSeattleisthirdhighestat2.99%.
Theeconomicimpactofcycletourismissignificant.More
than65%ofcycletouristsearnmorethan$60,000per
year.Cycletouristsstayinareaslonger,tendtopurchase
moredisposalgoodsbecauseoftheirlimitedcarrying
capacitygeneratenocarbonandnotrafficcongestion.
Accordingly,conservationists,recreationalcyclists,and
equestrianshaveworkedalongsideCowichanandCapital
RegionalDistrictplannerstodeveloptheSalishSeaTrail
Network(SSTN).Oncecomplete,itwillbeamongthe
mostsoughtaftercycletourismroutesontheplanetand
SaltSpringwillbethejewelinthisparticularring.Research,however,showsthat
naturalbeautyandqualityaccommodationsarenotenoughtoattractcycletourists.The
areamustalsodemonstratethatcyclistsarewelcomeandthattheyareabletosafely
sharetheroad.TheBCFinabilitytoperceivecyclistsdoesnotaugerwellinthisregard.
ImpactofGaps
Ingeneral,theMPfailstoapplytransportationdemandmanagementprinciplesand
approaches.Itneitheraddressesnoranticipatescyclingbehaviour,doesnothingto
reducetheriskofcar/cyclistcollisionsanddoesnotimprovecyclingsafetywithinthe
BCFservicesfootprint3.Rather,BCFproposestocollaboratewithMOTItorepurpose
publicroadresourcestoincreasea)storagecapacityforparkinglotoverflowandb)
providepedestrianaccess/egresstotheterminal(Figure2).
3The BCF services footprint (the area in which the company plans to store overflow parking on public
roadbed) extends north from the intersection of Morningside and Fulford-Ganges Roads to just beyond theintersection of Fulford-Ganges and Beaver Point Roads, a 300m long by 10.75m wide traffic corridor.
SalishSeaTrailNetwork
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Figure2:ProposedBCF/MOTIRepurposingofPublicRoadbed
Specifically,theMPallocates10.75mofMOTIroadbedacrossfiveusecategories:
cementbarrier,northboundtrafficlane,southboundtrafficlane,parkinglotoverflow
laneandpedestrianwalkway.Proposedroadbedrepurposing,however,excludes
cyclistsfromthemodalmixandintroducescycling-specificbarriers(Figure3).
Barriers
SouthboundCyclists
Cyclistsheadingtotheferryterminalmustnavigatearoundtheholdinglaneand
pedestrianpathwayandintothesouthboundlane.AtthecornerofMorningsideand
Fulford-GangesRoad,cyclistsmustthenstoptrafficbehindthemuntilitissafetocross
throughthenorthboundferryvehicleexhaustlanewhereitjoinstheexistingin-terminal
bikelane(Figure1).
NorthboundCyclists
Cyclistsexitingtheexistingin-terminalBCFbikelanearechallengedattheintersection
ofFulford-GangesandMorningsideRoads(Figure3).Heretheyencounter:
a. animmediate,steepandcontinuouscyclinggradeoutofFulfordVillage
b. suddenintegrationwithalargevolumeofmulti-directionalvehiculartraffic(to
theirrearupto120motoristsexitingtheferry;intotheirpathmotorists
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turningrightfromMorningside;acrosstheirpathsthoseturningleftonto
Morningside)
c. disorientation:ageneralunfamiliarityamongvisitingcyclists,includinglackof
judgmentaboutterminaltrafficflownorms,littleknowledgeaboutlocal
directionsorlandmarks,ferrypick-up/drop-offbehavioursbyvisitingandon-
islandmotoristsandextrememeasurestakenbymotorvehicledriversand
pedestrianswhencongestionismostacute
d. thecrowdingeffectoncyclistsofa1mhighcementabutmentastheyclimb
northboundoutofFulfordVillage
e. theabsenceofanyBCFpersonnel,prominentsignageordedicatedfacilitiesto
guidecycliststhroughtheBCFservicesfootprint.
Figure3:CyclingHazardsproposedbyBCF/MOTIRoadbedRepurposing
BarrierstoBlindSpot
BCFbarriersconstituteacyclingblindspotintheMasterPlan.Together,thesebarriers
reducecyclingsafety,increasetheriskofpersonalinjuryandcar/bicyclecollisions,
enhancetrafficcongestionandencourageaggressiveandunpredictablebehavioursby
motorists,cyclistsandpedestrians.TheabsenceofdesignatedsouthboundandnorthboundbikelaneswithintheBCFservicesfootprint:
violatesthespiritandintentofthe1992MOTI/IslandsTrustLetterofAgreement
(http://www.islandstrust.bc.ca/tc/pdf/orgagrdec081992pro.pdf)and1999Cycling
RouteInventorytobuildbikelanesonbothsidesoftheroadseparatedfrom
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vehiclelanesbypaintedlineswhenupgradingroadbedondesignatedcycling
routes.4
doesnotconsiderthesafetyandcongestionproblemsthatthephysically
challenginghillclimboutofFulfordVillageposesforcyclistsusingthenorthbound
lane,particularlyforthosecyclistsengagedinfamily-orientedholidayswithyoung
children
failstoanticipatehighlevelsofunfamiliarityanddisorientationamongcyclo-tourists
visitingtheislandforthefirsttimeandtheimpactthattheirdisorientationmayhave
ontrafficflowsandpotentialforcollisionandinjury
suggeststhatBCFwishestodiscouragecyclistsfromusingitsvesselsandfacilities
disregardstheprovincialcodatosharetheroad
ProposedSolution
TheproposedsolutiontocyclinggapsintheMPistoincorporatecycling-specific
infrastructure(bikelanes)andinfostructure(signage,standardsandbusinessprocesses)
toencouragecyclingasasafeandconvenientmodeoftransportation.
Figure4presentsonesuchsolution.Thegraphicreconfiguresthe10.75mspace
proposedbytheMPandincorporateskeycyclingrequirementsbyreallocatinglane
widthsandmakingthefollowingassumptions:
Pedestriansandcyclistscansharea1mlanealongeithersideoftheroad
At3m,theoverflow[holding]laneistoowide.ExistingholdinglanesintheFulford
BCFparkinglotaverage2.49m.CarlanesontheSkeenaQueenare2.6m
Acementbarrierborderingthenorthboundlaneunnecessarilynarrowstheroad
andrestrictspedestrianaccesstosmallbusinesses
Adedicatednorthboundbikelanewilleliminatetrafficcongestioncurrentlycaused
bycyclistswhoslow,wiggleand/ordismounttheirbicycleswhenclimbingthe
hilloutofFulfordVillage
Paintingthebikelanesandshowingthattheyareformultipleuserswillmakeit
easierforcycliststomovesafelyandseamlessly,insinglefile,toandfromthe
Fulfordterminal
4The Island Trust completed a Cycle route inventory on Salt Spring in 1999. This document was updated by
the CRD in 2005. In that same year, Salt Spring aligned with Cowichan and Capital Regional Districtplansto interconnect with the Salish Sea Regional Trail Network. Salt Spring cycling routes were formallydesignated within the Official Community plan in 2008 (Appendix A).
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Figure4:BicycleFriendlySolutiontoFulfordHarbourAccess/Egress
Conclusion
BCFsMPdoesnotreflectcurrentdemographictrendsandlifestylepreferencestowardscyclingnordoesitalignwithviewsofbicycleutilityandvaluewithinthetransportation
demandmanagementcommunity.TheMPsnearexclusiveconcernwithmotorvehicles
demonstratesanacuteblindspotinits20-yearvision.
Thevolumeandvarietyofcyclistswillcontinuetoincrease.Thiswillreflectalargeand
growingpopulationbaseofcyclistslivinginregionalurbancentresandadjacent
municipalitiesaswellascyclistscomingfromfartherafieldtotravelportionsofthe
SalishSeaTrailNetwork.ShouldBCFcontinuetoincreasethecostofmotorvehicle
accesstoitsvessels,additionalnumberswilladoptbicyclesasmoreaffordablemodesof
transportationforcommutingandrecreationalactivities.
Whiletheremaynotbeacausalrelationshipbetweenifyoubuildit[then]theywill
comethereisnodoubtthatinfrastructurehasasignificantcapacitytoanticipate,
shape,accelerateand/orconstraindemand.Byfailingtoadoptfundamentalbikelane
principlesestablishedbetweentheIslandsTrustandMOTIalmost20yearsago,BCFis
situatingitselfasaspoiler.
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Choosingnottoenableorevenperceivecyclingasalegitimatemodeoftransportation
willincreasetheriskofinjuryandtheintensityoftrafficcongestion.Specifically,BCF
failuretoincludebicyclesasamodalstandardwilllimitthecapacityofIsland-based
businesses,institutionsandindividualstofullyengagetherecreational,economicand
healthbenefitsofcycling.Simplyput,residentsandvisitorswillmostcertainlysuffer
economicallyand,perhapsmortally,fromBCFsinabilitytoadapttoachangingmodal
environment.
Recommendations
Wemakethefollowingrecommendations:
1. BCF,asaMOTIpartner,mustadoptapublicservicecommitmenttobothservecyclistsandkeepthemsafe.Modificationofapublicroadbedmustfollow
longstandingprovincialmandates,policy,visionandrequirements,incorporate
standardsembeddedinhistoricalagreements(suchasthe1992Islands
Trust/MOTILOA)andpractices,suchas,allowingnarrowervehiclecorridorsto
accommodatebicyclelanes,andallowingvariancestoroadwidthinkeeping
withtheIslandcharacter.
2. DedicatednorthandsouthboundbikelanesmustbeincludedintheMasterPlan
guidingtheFulfordterminalupgrade.
a. Cyclingaccessandegressshallbeseamlessfromtheferryramptothe
intersectionofBeaverPointandFulford-GangesRoad(thetermination
pointoftheproposedoverflowparking[holding]lane).
3. BCFmustengagethecyclingcommunityaspartofitsMasterPlanningprocess.
Specifically,BCFshouldinviterepresentativecyclingorganizations(e.g.theBC
CyclingCoalition,theGreaterVictoriaCyclingCoalition,IslandPathways)to
participateinaCyclingWorkingGroup(CWG).ThepurposeoftheCWGwouldbe
toreviewandprovideadviceoncyclingrequirements,standardsandmeasures
relatedtoinvestmentinandupgradingofBCFterminals
4. BCFshouldrequireitsroadengineeringandtrafficmanagementstafftocompletecertificateprogramsintransportationdemand/mobilitymanagement.
5. BCFshouldadoptcommunitybenefitasacriterionwithinitsMasterPlanning
process.
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APPENDIXA:CYCLINGROUTESASDESIGNATEDINTHEOFFICIALCOMMUNITYPLAN
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