Pacific and Expo Boulevards, Northeast False Creek

Cyclists

Map of Pacific Blvd. and Expo Blvd. bicycle routes

Pacific and Expo Boulevards would provide a ring road for cyclists and help to connect the False Creek Bridges with the Adanac Bikeway and Science World where many bike routes converge. Between Richards and Quebec, bike lanes can be accomplished relatively easily because of the wider street widths. In fact, the bike lanes could help to narrow the width of the street and are considered to be an important component of a new streetscape design for Pacific Boulevard. West of Richards, Pacific Street narrows significantly and some road widening or parking removal would be required to construct the bike lanes.

[DTP p. 99]

In the fall of 2003, bike lanes were placed from Homer St. to Quebec St. From what we know, the bike lanes between the Cambie Bridge and that Adanac Bikeway (the "Northeast False Creek" neighbourhood) are permanent; the lanes between Homer St. and the Cambie Bridge are temporary, and will be replaced as part of the reconstruction of Pacific St./Blvd. between Burrard and Nelson, which should be completed before early 2006.

The city's intentions for the Pacific/Expo bike lanes in the Northeast False Creek remain uncertain. The area is slated for a massive amount of development, detailed in the 2001 False Creek Northeast Development Plan. I have heard different stories about the fate of this area; the most trustworthy source was Gordon Price, who claimed:

Part of the boulevard will be rebuilt as Concord completes the Beach Neighbourhood between Homer and Seymour; the other sections may be funded if Council reconfigures the north Granville Bridge onramps and sells them as development sites.

[Price Tags issue 19]

Some city staff have agreed with the above quote, while others did not believe that sale of the Granville onramps would necessarily correspond with redevelopment of Pacific.

There are a range of other issues in this area, related to its development. The Molson Indy route has traditionally included Expo Blvd. and crossed Pacific Blvd., requiring an annual street closure. Additionally, the parking lot east of the Plaza of Nations may be temporarily used for parking for a new casino in the Plaza of Nations. There remain questions of continuation of the Seaside bike route through this development. Finally, the Richmond-Airport-Vancouver rapid transit project will follow a Cambie St. alignment; its route into downtown and the accompanying shift in traffic patterns may require construction around the Cambie Bridge, allowing some changes on that facility.

A staff report from July 2001 discusses some aspects of the plan; sections of this relevant to cyclists and the general streetscape are outlined below.

Background

Northeast False Creek (see site context map - Figure 1) contains 40.2 hectares (99.33 acres) and includes 1.13 km (0.7 miles) of waterfront. The area includes 6.8 hectares (16.8 acres) of park space of which 1.53 (3.8 acres) hectares have been developed (Coopers Park) and 5.3 hectares (13.1 acres) of park space (Creekside Park) remain to be developed. The FCNODP identifies a zoned development potential of 311 000 m2 (3,350,000 sq. ft.) of floor space (excluding BC Place Stadium) for the study area.

Planning for future development of the site is being approached in two phases:

Phase One

Phase Two

Key Issues

In planning for Northeast False Creek the following key issues were considered:

Objectives

The following objectives for the Northeast False Creek Urban Design Plan are recommended:

Improve pedestrian, cycling and transit connections between areas of Northeast False Creek and with adjacent neighbourhoods, with particular emphasis on improving access to the False Creek waterfront, and the Cambie Bridge, (including wider sidewalks, improved pedestrian crossings, a right-of-way for a streetcar on Pacific Blvd. and rights-of-way for below grade rapid transit through the area).

Better integration of Northeast False Creek with the downtown peninsula can be achieved by the introduction of new and improved pedestrian connections from Smithe, Robson and Georgia Streets, and improvements to the exterior Stadium concourses, as detailed in the discussion on the creation of additional density on the PavCo site.

It is proposed that there be dedicated cycling lanes on Expo Blvd. and Pacific Blvd., an improved connection from Smithe Street at Expo Blvd. to the wide easterly Cambie sidewalk, as well as the opportunity to use the concourses as a cycling route.

It is also suggested that in Phase Two, planning for a spine of development on the east side of BC Place Stadium be pursued. This would reinforce a pedestrian linkage between Georgia Street and the False Creek waterfront at the foot of Abbott Street.

The following pedestrian, cycling and transit facilities are envisaged to implement the plan:

Extend Smithe Street from Expo Blvd. to Pacific Blvd. and investigate its extension south of Pacific Blvd.

As noted above, a key initiative of the urban design plan is to extend Smithe Street south of Expo Blvd. to improve pedestrian connections and provide a street end view of the water. Furthermore, study is required to determine the feasibility and cost implications of creating an intersection at Pacific Blvd. and Smithe Street, with Smithe Street extending closer to the water.

[...]

Improve the pedestrian environment by providing street-oriented retail, where possible, and pedestrian interest (landscaping, street furniture and other amenities) along all streets.

A particular focus of the plan is to improve the currently inhospitable environment for pedestrians. The plan establishes a pattern of streets and open spaces linked to the pattern of downtown streets. The provision of landscaping and other amenities is also recommended.

It is also recommended that retail, restaurant and similar "storefront" businesses be permitted on most streets west of the Stadium in the Cambie Bridgehead area. The recommended ODP amendments include provisions permitting retail which are permissive for almost all street frontages allowing the developer or building owner to judge the viability of retail. The amendments only make it mandatory to provide retail on the key frontages facing the proposed Bridgehead plaza to assist in animating this new public space. As part of the CD-1 rezonings for the Bridgehead precinct, staff are recommending a retail review be undertaken (see Appendix A, page one of four, Policy Direction # 1) that shall study the viability of retail fronting the plaza and on street locations and consider the impacts of additional retail on other commercial areas. The possibility of interim uses, if necessary, pending the emergence of a market for retail and similar businesses will also be explored. At this time, as a matter of public policy, staff recommend that the plaza frontages be identified as a priority for retail and similar uses.

As part of Phase Two, staff will work with PavCo and others on the preparation of a plan for a spine of development which reinforces pedestrian linkages and amenities between Georgia Street and the False Creek waterfront at the foot of Abbott Street, on the east side of BC Place Stadium.

Establish the Cambie Bridgehead as a gateway landmark entrance to the downtown.

A Bridgehead Plaza at the northern foot of the Cambie Bridge is proposed which will be a gateway to the downtown. The proposed form of development will provide an edge and definition for the Plaza (See Figure 5). Retail, restaurant and similar uses are proposed for the ground floor of these buildings to animate the plaza. Staff recommend that the landowner and the City work on a cooperative basis for the design of the plaza at the time of area rezoning.

[...]

Create new density for the BC Place Stadium Site (Area 10) to achieve urban design objectives and to improve the public realm.

Staff are recommending that Council consider creating up to 49 330 m2 (531,000 sq. ft.) of new floor space on lands to the west and the south of the Stadium. Council has approved a series of land trades to accommodate the extension of Smithe Street south from Expo Blvd. to Pacific Blvd.. This initiative will allow for two strategic development sites on which PavCo's two office buildings and conference centre could be built. This conference centre would replace the Robson Conference Centre, and would be built on the corner of Smithe Street and Pacific Blvd.

Staff support creating up to 49 330 m2 (531,000 sq. ft.) of new non-residential floor space, as this would address the following urban design considerations and pedestrian environment improvements:

Urban Design Considerations:

Pedestrian Environment Improvements:

[...]

Planning during Phase Two will implement the conclusions of Phase One (especially with zoning) and focus on those areas south and east of BC Place Stadium. Guided by the overall policies on land use, urban design, and movement established in phase one, the following work is envisaged:

[...]

[City Policy Report, RTS No. 2161, CC File No. 8204, July 2001

A staff report from July 2002 makes some comments on implementation of the Pacific/Expo bike lanes, but makes no mention of whether or not these lanes will be redesigned at a later stage.

Advantages of painted bike lanes on Pacific Boulevard

Staff believe that the implementation of painted bicycle lanes on Pacific Boulevard can precede the further implementation of the Downtown Transportation Plan. Travel lanes will be narrowed slightly in order to allow bike lanes to be introduced. In a few instances parking will be removed but this is often accompanied by benefits to traffic and transit.

A design has been developed for striped bike-lanes on Pacific/Expo Boulevards from Richards east to connect to the Adanac Bikeway. This design is supported by the Bicycle Advisory Committee and has been publicly reviewed in both the Downtown Transportation Plan Open Houses, and the North-East False Creek Development Plan. It is recommended that striped bike-lanes be implemented at this time between the Cambie Bridge and the Adanac Bikeway at a cost of $25,000.

[City administrative report, July 19, 2002]

In a city survey, a majority of respondents opposed making Pacific and Expo Boulevards two-way (in the section from Cambie Bridge to Quebec St.):

Survey results regarding two-way conversion of Pacific and Expo

[DTP second survey, May 2001]

From Abbott St. to Quebec St., the bike lanes run adjacent to a parking lot, currently owned by Concord Pacific. The west part of this site is proposed to be used for a temporary parking lot for a casino at the Plaza of Nations; the east side is slated to become an extension of Creekside Park. There are still ongoing discussions with the city to put a proper route for the Seaside bike route through the Plaza of Nations as part of this deal.

Pedestrian/Cycling Access and Ferry Dock - The Plaza of Nations has still not provided the services required under the 1999 (hotel) rezoning. Staff have requested the site owners to provide these obligations prior to the November 30, 2004 date noted in the existing Services Agreement, but there has been no reply. The present application must be reviewed with consideration as to whether any of the following items will be required:

  1. Shoreline Protection Works - Improvements to the existing seawall walkway.
  2. Primary Walkway - Provision of a defined, well lit primary pedestrian route through the site.
  3. Primary Bikeway - Provision of a defined, well lit primary bikeway through the site.
  4. Alternative Walkway/Bikeway - Provide an alternative walkway/bikeway, which detours around the site via Pacific Boulevard, to be used during Plaza events. On Pacific Boulevard, staff expect that the existing curb be moved north and a wider sidewalk installed to accommodate a 9.0 metre wide walkway/bikeway, separated from traffic. A parking kiosk at the east end of the site is in conflict with the expected route, and would require removal or relocation. Furthermore, along the west edge of the site parking must be removed to eliminate conflicts with pedestrians and cyclists when the alternate route is in use. The route must employ proper standards of design, safety, and furnishing; in all sections of walkway aligned with the bike route a landscaped median of 1.5 metre width would be required.
  5. Walkway Around the Site - As noted in the 1998 rezoning report to Council, it is possible to extend the current walkway around the site by constructing a link along the south edge of Building C. While Council then did not require this link, constructing this walkway would eliminate the high level of conflict between users of the Plaza space and the seawall. Furthermore, if this option were implemented, the applicant would not be required to provide a defined path through the site for the primary bikeway or complete modifications to Pacific Boulevard for the alternate walkway/bikeway. And, particularly with the proposal for a front door drop-off for the casino, a walkway around the site at the water's edge would eliminate conflicts between the walkway/bikeway and passengers being served at the porte-cochere.
  6. Ferry Dock/Ceremonial Dock - The Owner is required to provide a ferry dock on the west end of the waterlot. As it may be difficult to get Burrard Environmental Review Commission (BERC) approval for a new ferry dock at this location, the applicant will need to work with the owner of the Plaza of Nations site to provide the Ceremonial Dock as the main ferry dock. Staff would require the installation of lighting, litter receptacles, and sheltered benches on the Ceremonial Dock.

[City policy report, RTS No. 03754, CC file no. 5307].

Map of Molson Indy race route

The Molson Indy route crosses Pacific Blvd., and runs along Expo Blvd. The streets are usually closed during the annual race. The Indy will no longer run on this route once construction begins in Southeast False Creek for the Olympics (likely 2006 or 2007).

Road Network

Pacific has quite variable traffic. West of the Burrard Bridge, traffic is medium to heavy, with 10 000 to 40 000 vehicles per day. From the Burrard Bridge to Cambie, the traffic volume is mostly heavy, with 20 000 to 40 000 vehicles per day. Traffic is light from Cambie to the Cambie Bridge off ramp, and then is medium from the Cambie Bridge offramp to the end of Pacific at Quebec Street [DTP p. 44]. These volumes are likely to change substantially with the redesign of the street. Pacific is designated as an important circulation street [DTP p. 47].

Transit

A streetcar is proposed to replace the existing bus routes along Pacific Boulevard.

Proposed Streetcar Routing

The concept of the streetcar system approved by Council would link major tourist destinations, major residential developments, and significant employment centres on the periphery of downtown and the south shore of False Creek. The Expo SkyTrain line would be linked using the former C.P.R. right-of-way to False Creek South, Granville Island, and eventually Vanier Park ­ Figure 4.2-I. Phase I would connect Granville Island to Science World, Chinatown, Gastown, Waterfront Station and the Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Phase II line downtown would follow Pacific Boulevard connecting BC Place Stadium, GM Place, the various False Creek/Yaletown neighbourhoods, to Granville Street via Drake Street. A future extension from Waterfront Station would connect through the Coal Harbour neighbourhoods and provide a link to the Bayshore development and Stanley Park.

This concept would provide transit service in areas that are growing and in need of transit service, as well as link to transit nodes such as Waterfront Station, Main Street SkyTrain Station, and the Granville corridor. In addition, several employment nodes would be serviced including Burrard Landing, the Convention and Exhibition Centre, the West Hastings corridor, the Plaza of Nations/GM Place/BC Place, and Granville Island. A future extension through the False Creek Flats to the VCC Station would not only link up with the new Millennium Line but service the planned high-tech employment/education area in the False Creek Flats.

[DTP p. 65]

Recommended Adjustments to 1999 Proposals

The recommended route and station locations from the Downtown Streetcar study of 1999 should be adjusted to integrate the recommended changes in the Downtown Transportation Plan. The following minor adjustments to the 1999 proposals are recommended for investigation.

The Pacific Boulevard Line was originally recommended to terminate at the foot of Davie Street. However, due to the complexity of terminating the line in a relatively narrow right-of-way, it is recommended that the line be extended further east on Pacific Boulevard with a station on Pacific at Davie. The original study also proposed continuing down Pacific Boulevard to terminate under the Granville Bridge and provide vertical connections up to the bridge deck. A better routing would be to continue down Pacific Boulevard and turn on Drake Street to terminate at Granville Street, to avoid making the vertical connection. It is also easier to provide a terminus station in this location. Alternative detailed alignments along Pacific Boulevard from Cambie bridgehead to Drake Street are also shown in a proposed Pacific Boulevard redesign approved by Council in May 2002.

It is recommended that the north side alignment along Pacific Boulevard be pursued first, due to the more direct connections to public facilities and the relatively simpler alignment. The south side alignment on Pacific Boulevard could still be pursued as an alternative. Double tracking should also be considered.

In terms of station locations on the Pacific Boulevard Line, a station is recommended for the Quebec/ Pacific Boulevard intersection that could serve both the Waterfront Line and the Pacific Boulevard line. The station location on the north side of Pacific Boulevard at BC Place is recommended to be moved further to the east between BC Place Stadium and GM Place, for better access to the latter and to allow a redesign of the lower level entry to BC Place. The previously proposed station at Abbott Street would not be necessary. In addition, the station proposed for Expo and Pacific Boulevard is recommended to be moved further east under the Cambie Bridge where better bus and pedestrian connections to the bridge exist. There is also more room to build a station at this location.

[DTP p. 67]

Pedestrians

The Northeast False Creek Urban Design Study recommended that the pedestrian overpass between the BC Place Stadium and the Plaza of Nations be replaced with an "at-grade" signalized crosswalk mid-block between Terry Fox Way and Griffiths Way.

[DTP p. 80]

Expo Boulevard and Pacific Boulevard: Facilitate improved north-south pedestrian movement/access across the "neck" of the downtown by providing a mid-block crossing at Expo and Pacific Boulevard perpendicular to the south-west corner of Andy Livingston Park where the off-street pedestrian pathway ends. A mid-block crossing at this location will help improve pedestrian connectivity and access between Northeast False Creek and the Downtown Eastside.

[DTP p. 80]

Goods Movement

Pacific is currently a truck route from Burrard to Quebec, and all of Expo is a truck route [DTP p. 105]. Tour buses and airporter buses use both streets [DTP pp. 110-111].

Parking

Parking is to be added from the west side of Expo from Smithe to Cambie [DTP p. 125].

Spot Improvements

36. Integrate the Northeast False Creek development into the downtown by extending the street grid into the site

Extending the street grid pattern around BC Place stadium into Northeast False Creek will help to integrate the site into the rest of the downtown. This includes creating a pedestrian connection from the intersection of Beatty and Georgia down to False Creek, extending Smithe Street east to False Creek, and extending Griffiths Way to False Creek and aligning it with Georgia Street.

[DTP p. 154]

Map of development in Northeast False Creek

This spot improvement is of some interest. From the cyclist route on Expo, there are very few connections up to the route on Beatty: there's one at Smithe, and one at Pender, but nothing in between. The main difficulty at this site is the 14m escarpment between Beatty and Expo. At the end of Robson, there's a long staircase connecting Beatty and Expo, but it's not very practical for cyclists. The site marked with a "7B" in the above figure will soon be developed into a Costco store; if this store is to be properly integrated into the city for pedestrians and cyclists, then connections to Beatty will be sorely needed.

Regardless, the more connected the street grid is, the better off cyclists in this area will be.

38. Modify the intersection of Pacific and Quebec to better accommodate the streetcar and cyclists

The Issue: The Pacific and Quebec corner will become a junction between 2 streetcar lines. It also needs to provide bike lanes through the intersection. The aesthetics of the area need improving through a detailed design study.

The Approach: Two possible locations for a streetcar station junction are shown below, with links both to Gastown and Pacific Boulevard to the north and False Creek Flats and Southeast False Creek to the south. Bike lanes could also be incorporated to connect existing and proposed bike routes. Further design work in the area and under the viaducts could be part of future redevelopment proposals. In addition, northbound cyclists require a more visible signal indication of when to cross Pacific Boulevard.

Diagram showing intersection of Pacific and Quebec

[DTP p. 155]

This will obviously be a very difficult area to design, given the viaduct ramps and the existing street layout. Normalisation of this intersection might be a fair request, given its convoluted form. It will be very difficult to design cyclist signage that is easy-to-understand in this area. One other area of difficulty will be cyclist crossings over the streetcar tracks. Hopefully, council will consider some cyclist-friendly designs for these sections of the streetcar track.

Comments

The changes happening on Pacific Blvd. are enormous, and difficult to keep track of. From what I understand, some of the Northeast False Creek redevelopment (near the Cambie Bridge) is already underway. The new lanes are quite usable, but there are certainly some improvements that could be made. The VACC needs to follow any changes happening in this neighbourhood and make input at appropriate times.

Streetcar / bicycle conflicts will be a new issue for the VACC to address. Pacific and Quebec will be challenging, and the proposed line along Drake will also cross the bike paths.