After launching Vancouver's first-ever pedestrian-friendly open street pilot program just days ago, the City of Vancouver is facing backlash from locals and rushing to make changes.
Two blocks of Yew Street between West 1st and Cornwall avenues have been closed to cars during certain hours of the day which has caused a great deal of confusion and chaos for motorists and pedestrians alike.
Many locals assumed that the blocks would be made entirely car-free and 100 per cent pedestrianized--more closely resembling the activated plazas in other areas of the city. Having learned that the street will remain partially open to loading and delivery vehicles at certain times of day, some Vancouver residents are disgruntled and taking to social media to say so.
As a way to address the widespread confusion, a spokesperson for the Engineering department told V.I.A. in a previous interview."There's what the regulations on the ground do, versus what is the intent, and what is the messaging."
In a further effort to clarify the new traffic flow for the Yew Street pilot program, the City announced via Twitter Thursday (July 6) that based on feedback from the public they will be "removing the concrete island on York and Yew to help reinforce the new traffic patterns for drivers." Next week, they will adjust the coloured concrete blocks and install flexible bollards to support the new traffic restrictions.
However, locals are saying that's not the fix they were looking for.
In fact, many cyclists are angry to have the concrete island removed and suggest that the change will make the path less safe for cyclists.
"Please tell me you're not removing permanent bike [infrastructure] but only moving the coloured blocks?" responds one local.
"Vancouver yet again going backwards on bike infrastructure," says another.
One resident even says they won't be using the path to cycle anymore following the island's removal.
What are the rules of the road for this 'open' street pilot program?
Cars are able to cross Yew Street between West 1st and Cornwall via two laneways that have been kept open in both directions. The laneways are open to allow deliveries between midnight and 4 p.m. weekdays and midnight to 10 a.m. weekends but it's causing confusion for drivers because they appear completely open to all traffic at all times.
York Street has also undergone changes to accommodate the pilot. It used to be one-way eastbound on the west side of Yew (so that traffic is forced to turn at Yew). Now, York is one-way westbound and traffic is allowed to cross Yew, but not turn.
However, some drivers are turning onto the pedestrian street and there aren't any full barriers in their way to prevent that from happening.
The City could have banned all but commercial vehicles from the street but business owners wanted to create accessibility for other types of loading such as customers being dropped off or deliveries that didn't necessarily use a van.
The following are also prohibitions and permissions as part of the pilot program:
- It is illegal to drive from the top of Yew St at West 1st to the bottom at Cornwall.
- During delivery hours (midnight to 4 p.m. weekdays and midnight to 10 a.m. weekends) for half a block at a time, only in the direction moving away from the alleys, it is technically possible and legal for all cars to enter the street.
