Park Board begins removal of controversial Stanley Park bike lane

It's the beginning of the end for the bike lane on Stanley Park Drive as Park Board crews have started replacing the concrete barriers with traffic cones.

The work started late Friday night, and once all the barricades have been picked up, new signage will be installed and the cones removed.

At that point, both lanes will once again be open to motor vehicle traffic, bringing the temporary bike lane installed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to a close.

"When the removal happens, it will happen very quickly. So, within days," said ABC Park Board Commissioner Angela Haer.

Some drivers will be happy to see the end of the lane, but for some of the cyclists who have used it over the last three years, the thought of sharing the road with motorists is concerning.

"Despite a speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour, people routinely exceed that pretty dramatically, and even those who don't are often distracted -- by scenery or don't know their way around," said cyclist Rhiannon Fox. "They're looking for parking lots, a place to pull over.They're not looking for cyclists. They are certainly not looking for children."

Park Board commissioners have directed staff to try to come up with a plan for a permanent bike lane on Stanley Park Drive that can co-exist alongside two lanes of traffic.

"We're very excited. The staff is very capable and very talented, so we're excited to see what they come back with," said Haer.

Until then, cyclists will have to take their chances sharing a lane with cars and trucks or switch to the seawall, which can be very crowded and often has wayward tourists wandering into the bike lane.

"The seawall is a gorgeous option for a lot of people. And it's flatter," said Lisa Slakov of HUB Cycling. "But I've talked to so many people who can't or won't use the seawall."

The removal of the lane is expected to cost taxpayers $330,000 -- so far there is no estimate on how much the plan for a permanent replacement might cost.