Burrard Bridge

After over a decade of planning gridlock, the Burrard Bridge lane reallocation trial was originally due to start this past April. The trial, which would have given over the two kerbside lanes to self-propelled traffic, received unanimous approval from the COPE/Vision council last July.

However, the newly elected NPA council killed the trial days before Christmas. Currently, cyclists are not allowed to ride on the six lanes of the Burrard Bridge. They are supposed to ride at 15kph on a narrow (2.6 metre), raised sidewalk shared with pedestrians, joggers, inline skaters, skateboarders, trailer-pullers, and trolley-pushers going in both directions.

In December, the NPA dominated Vancouver City Council voted to draw up another plan to expand the bridge with an outrigger style sidewalk on the bridge. Now further delays in the design and planning process (the staff design planner apparently had appendicitis) mean that city staff expect construction will not be able to begin for about another year. Heritage Vancouver, which ranks the art deco bridge at the top of its most endangered list, must be hoping that the NPA will start back-pedaling when they see the construction costs.

However, as the number of Vancouver cyclists and pedestrians increases each year a solution to the bridge's shortcomings grows more pressing.

Richard Campbell's verdict: “it's good enough to be dangerous: grade F.”

More Vancouver Bridges
Burrard Bridge, Vancouver
Granville Bridge, Vancouver
Cambie Bridge, Vancouver
Lions Gate Bridge, Vancouver
RAV Bridge, Vancouver
Richmond Bridge, Vancouver