Originally Posted by
closetbiker
Aside from the goal of increasing the safety of cyclists there is a goal of improving traffic flow by increasing use of transit, walking and cycling. So far this has been achieved, and
AFAIK,
there has not been any other city in North America that’s had a reduction in the number of cars (10% reduction entering the city and 7% reduction entering downtown) along with tremendous growth in pedestrian, cycling and transit trips that has taken place in Vancouver..
Looking at this statistic, and thinking about all the challenges that this sort of Infrastructure introduces for auto drivers, one can't help but come to the conclusion that the implementation of some of these lanes might not be only to encourage bicycle traffic, but to actively discourage automobile traffic by making the environment for drivers less inviting.
Looked at from this perspective, the segregated bike lanes might make good sense for the city of Vancouver, with its stated goal of a reduction of motor vehicle traffic in the city.
Thoughts?