It hasn’t been a great winter for fans of… well, fans of winter.
Last week ski resorts on the beleaguered North Shore mountains announced they will close for season because of yet another warm, wet weather system coming in on the Pineapple Express. But there’s always a silver lining and, in this case, it’s that winter has been a great time to be a cyclist.
Warm commutes, spring-like riding, and no need for heavy winter gear beyond the occasional layer of rain protection. And to go with the bike-friendly weather, there’s lots happening in Vancouver right now if you’re a cyclist.
First, the big news: on Feb. 4, the east sidewalk of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge finally reopened after months of closure for widening and safety improvements.
Anyone who’s ridden over the Second Narrows in the past few years knows just how intensely unpleasant this route previously was for cyclists. The sidewalks were incredibly narrow, barely wide enough even for a single bike, and felt very exposed to the traffic thundering past just inches away, especially when air was displaced by big trucks.
Since Dec. 2013, this situation has been even worse on the west sidewalk. Because the east sidewalk closed for improvements, all two-way traffic — cyclists and pedestrians — was forced onto the one narrow route. There was barely enough room for a bike to pass a pedestrian, never mind another bike.
Fortunately, it turns out the temporary inconvenience was well worth it. The renovated east sidewalk is double the width it was previously. Although it will be shared by two-way traffic while the west sidewalk undergoes the same improvements, it’s already vastly better than it was before.
There’s room to pass comfortably and the experience of crossing the bridge on a bike feels safer and more secure. It’s fantastic to see this kind of investment on such a critical connector between Vancouver and the North Shore. I’m looking forward to seeing the west sidewalk open this fall.
Speak up!
When it comes to improving cycling infrastructure, the City of Vancouver is looking for your opinion. In a new survey posted online on the Talk Vancouver forum, city staff is seeing to “better understand views and attitudes on cycling” with a focus on traveling and commuting.
Questions seek people’s opinions about cycling and cyclists, whether cycling is a good year-round activity and if cycling sets a good example to children.
Work at HUB
Our friends at HUB are hiring. The cycling advocacy network wants an on-call instructor to teach cycling to school-aged kids. If you know someone who’s passionate about bikes and keen to make a difference to young kids, please pass on the details. Find the job posting online here.
What else is happening in the Vancouver cycle world right now? If you know about cycling events or anything else that might be of interest, please drop me a line.
Kay Cahill is a cyclist and librarian who believes bikes are for life, not just for commuting. Read more at sidecut.ca, or send a comment to kay@sidecut.ca.
