Motorists and pedestrians on Burrard Street Bridge will be making way for cyclists this summer, following a Vancouver City Council vote to incorporate bicycle lanes.
Council was presented with three conversion options on Thursday afternoon for a $1.45 million pilot project. Councillors voted in favour of the third option, which will convert a single lane of traffic as well as the east pedestrian sidewalk into bike-only lanes.
Other options had included converting one vehicle lane of traffic for bike use, or handing over two full vehicle lanes for bikes.
The vote was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but the decision was postponed when city hall was overwhelmed by pro-lane cyclists.
Around 70,000 drivers used the bridge daily, alongside 3,300 cyclists and 2,300 pedestrians. In one five-month period, eight cyclists were injured in traffic accidents on the bridge and taken to hospital.
The proposal has been criticized by drivers since its inception amid fears it will increase gridlock on the bridge leading to the downtown core.
Cyclists maintain the bridge in its current state is dangerous and more room is needed for two-wheeled commuters.
The pilot project is scheduled to begin in June, but the trial length has yet to be decided.
Council approved a similar trial in 1996 but scrapped it just a week later -- after vociferous opposition from motorists.
With a report by CTV British Columbia's Renu Bakshi.
