Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson officially opened the new Dunsmuir Viaduct bike lane to the cheers of cyclists Tuesday morning, but not everyone pulled out their bikes in celebration.
The separated, two-way bike lane will run on a trial basis for at least six months. The lane will extend from the Dunsmuir viaduct all the way to Hornby Street. The project has a budget of $810,000.
"Cyclists now have a convenient and safe route into downtown Vancouver from the east side," Robertson said.
Councillor Geoff Meggs, who was recently hit by a car while biking, is all for the added protection on the busy downtown streets.
"It's great because my Physio said to stay away from unprotected routes and I've got a protected route now," he said.
But it may not be as safe as hoped. In the span of only a few minutes, CTV cameras captured several potentially dangerous vehicle maneuvers, from a car taking a too-wide turn, to a truck accidentally driving in the bike-only lane.
There's also the opposition from local cab companies, who argue the new lane will make traffic on the already-busy street even worse, and increase cab fares for passengers.
Some local businesses also object to the project, citing decreased sales and a lack of proper consultation with the city.
The lane takeover isn't sitting well with Leonardo Redavid from Endz Hair Studio.
"Especially on a main line like this one. It's just not, I don't agree with it."
If the Dunsmuir bike lane project is successful, a new north-south lane will be added to either Hornby Street, Burrard Street, or Thurlow Street.
Last month, Vancouver city council voted unanimously to spend $25 million to create and improve bike lanes throughout the city, re-writing the city's map on how people get around.
The money will be spent over the next two years to build about 55 kilometres of new bike lanes.
About four per cent of Vancouver commuters use bikes but the city hopes to boost that number to 10 per cent.
