Drivers and pedestrians may come across a new and puzzling road marking in Vancouver.
Three white lines stretch across a number of intersections along Yew Street, but they aren't like anything seen on the ICBC road test, or in the handbook.
That's because they are new, and stem from the car-free street pilot program underway on Yew Street -- which is still full of cars.
The city's first pedestrian-friendly open street, put in place in June, stretches across two blocks of Yew Street between Cornwall and West 1st avenues.
Drivers are not permitted to turn onto the street at any time, with the exception of delivery and loading vehicles which can access Yew Street via laneways as indicated on a map on weekdays from midnight to 4 p.m. and on weekends from midnight to 10 a.m.
Other exceptions, are customer pick-up or drop-off and taxi pick-up, explains an engineer with the City of Vancouver, though those drivers must abide by the time restrictions as well.
"The white lines were installed with temporary material as a visual reminder to reinforce the turn restrictions established by new traffic signs," says a spokesperson for the City of Vancouver, noting that they are not regulatory markings.
The new traffic signs, of which there are 60 and, in total including duplicates, over 100, are designed to reinforce the restrictions on traffic associated with the trial pedestrian-only zone.
