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07-14-09, 09:32 PM
I guess that's like gaggles of geese; or murders of crows.
What would a collection of motorists be? A constipation of cagers?
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Burrard Bridge trial brings out hordes of cyclists, initial complaints
Mike Howell, Vancouver Courier (http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=67937f4a-1da0-467a-ac0d-ad4b5b055d3f)
Published: Monday, July 13, 2009
The hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians using the Burrard Bridge during the Monday morning rush was an indication of one thing-the city's public relations campaign and widespread media coverage made it the place to be.
With a television news helicopter buzzing overhead, and television camera operators posted at both ends of the bridge, the bike trial experiment appeared to be a success. But not everybody was happy.
Cyclist Chris Kelly was frustrated after crossing the bridge on the sidewalk from Kitsilano to downtown. The no-passing signs for cyclists on the ascent and descent of the bridge confused him. Passing is only permitted in the 70-metre stretch between the bridge's main pillars but cyclists passed each other along the entire span.
"I thought this was supposed to make it easier and safer," said Kelly, who crossed shortly after 8 a.m. and has regularly commuted across it for more than one year. Kelly, an English language teacher, acknowledged the unprecedented numbers of cyclists may not be there in the days and weeks to come.
The packs of cyclists included cycling activists, journalists, Mayor Gregor Robertson and some members of council, who otherwise don't use the bridge as a commuter route. Cyclist Paul Johnson fit into that category. Johnson, a project manager, said he regularly crosses Cambie Bridge to his office at Broadway and Cambie.
Curiousity attracted him to the Burrard Bridge Monday.
"It's great," he said, as he stopped at Cornwall after crossing in what used to be a traffic lane. "I'm glad to see so many people using it." For motorists, the only spot that caused delays was on the approach to the bridge on the downtown side on Pacific Street. Vehicles were backed up past Thurlow towards English Bay.
The Courier interviewed six motorists as they waited along the stretch. Comments ranged from "I'm not happy about it" to "I think I took the wrong route" to "I have no problem with it" to "I'm worried what will happen in September and October." Idling at Thurlow and Pacific, motorist Jennifer Foster said she has driven the same route for one year and hadn't seen it so slow. Foster said she was undecided about the experiment.
"It's worth giving it a shot but if it gets more congested, then I'll probably get frustrated," she said as she inched along the street to the bridge. Further up the street, at the intersection of Burrard and Pacific, Jessica Connell had just walked over the bridge on the dedicated sidewalk for pedestrians.
For almost two years, she has walked over the bridge from Kitsilano to her job in downtown. Connell said she has seen close calls between cyclists and pedestrians, so she's glad pedestrians now have their own sidewalk.
"There's going to be some growing pains, obviously," she said. "I still haven't made up my mind, but there was a lot of space [on the sidewalk]." Traffic cops worked both sides of the bridge to ensure cyclists and pedestrians found their designated paths. A traffic cop on the downtown side of the bridge stopped vehicles as cyclists exited the bridge's sidewalk onto Burrard Street.
The traffic cops will not be permanent. Even with their presence, some cyclists and pedestrians crossed the bridge on the wrong routes. Robertson, before making a second crossing during rush hour, said he is willing to give the trial three months before making an assessment of whether the experiment worked.
NPA Coun. Suzanne Anton wasted no time Monday issuing a press release saying the $1.5 million experiment is a waste of money and is "disrupting communities and businesses."
Anton said vehicles will be "running through the West End and idling on people's doorsteps. Shoppers will avoid the area, transit riders will be stuck."
Anton pointed out that numerous city staff studies on the bridge recommended the sidewalks be widened rather than take away a traffic lane.
What would a collection of motorists be? A constipation of cagers?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burrard Bridge trial brings out hordes of cyclists, initial complaints
Mike Howell, Vancouver Courier (http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=67937f4a-1da0-467a-ac0d-ad4b5b055d3f)
Published: Monday, July 13, 2009
The hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians using the Burrard Bridge during the Monday morning rush was an indication of one thing-the city's public relations campaign and widespread media coverage made it the place to be.
With a television news helicopter buzzing overhead, and television camera operators posted at both ends of the bridge, the bike trial experiment appeared to be a success. But not everybody was happy.
Cyclist Chris Kelly was frustrated after crossing the bridge on the sidewalk from Kitsilano to downtown. The no-passing signs for cyclists on the ascent and descent of the bridge confused him. Passing is only permitted in the 70-metre stretch between the bridge's main pillars but cyclists passed each other along the entire span.
"I thought this was supposed to make it easier and safer," said Kelly, who crossed shortly after 8 a.m. and has regularly commuted across it for more than one year. Kelly, an English language teacher, acknowledged the unprecedented numbers of cyclists may not be there in the days and weeks to come.
The packs of cyclists included cycling activists, journalists, Mayor Gregor Robertson and some members of council, who otherwise don't use the bridge as a commuter route. Cyclist Paul Johnson fit into that category. Johnson, a project manager, said he regularly crosses Cambie Bridge to his office at Broadway and Cambie.
Curiousity attracted him to the Burrard Bridge Monday.
"It's great," he said, as he stopped at Cornwall after crossing in what used to be a traffic lane. "I'm glad to see so many people using it." For motorists, the only spot that caused delays was on the approach to the bridge on the downtown side on Pacific Street. Vehicles were backed up past Thurlow towards English Bay.
The Courier interviewed six motorists as they waited along the stretch. Comments ranged from "I'm not happy about it" to "I think I took the wrong route" to "I have no problem with it" to "I'm worried what will happen in September and October." Idling at Thurlow and Pacific, motorist Jennifer Foster said she has driven the same route for one year and hadn't seen it so slow. Foster said she was undecided about the experiment.
"It's worth giving it a shot but if it gets more congested, then I'll probably get frustrated," she said as she inched along the street to the bridge. Further up the street, at the intersection of Burrard and Pacific, Jessica Connell had just walked over the bridge on the dedicated sidewalk for pedestrians.
For almost two years, she has walked over the bridge from Kitsilano to her job in downtown. Connell said she has seen close calls between cyclists and pedestrians, so she's glad pedestrians now have their own sidewalk.
"There's going to be some growing pains, obviously," she said. "I still haven't made up my mind, but there was a lot of space [on the sidewalk]." Traffic cops worked both sides of the bridge to ensure cyclists and pedestrians found their designated paths. A traffic cop on the downtown side of the bridge stopped vehicles as cyclists exited the bridge's sidewalk onto Burrard Street.
The traffic cops will not be permanent. Even with their presence, some cyclists and pedestrians crossed the bridge on the wrong routes. Robertson, before making a second crossing during rush hour, said he is willing to give the trial three months before making an assessment of whether the experiment worked.
NPA Coun. Suzanne Anton wasted no time Monday issuing a press release saying the $1.5 million experiment is a waste of money and is "disrupting communities and businesses."
Anton said vehicles will be "running through the West End and idling on people's doorsteps. Shoppers will avoid the area, transit riders will be stuck."
Anton pointed out that numerous city staff studies on the bridge recommended the sidewalks be widened rather than take away a traffic lane.