Clarendon and 45th median barrier

I would like to share a story on how the City of Vancouver (Mr. Greg Robinson and the Vision councillors) put our children at risk for the benefit of cyclists in the Clarendon and E45th neighbourhood.

A timeline of what happen:

May 7, 2010: The City Engineering mailed out a letter informing the local residents that the City is putting up a median barrier at the intersection of Clarendon and E45th Ave. (see attached City engineering letter)

May 23, 2010: I wrote a more detail e-mail to Mr. Mike Anderson, the representative of City Engineering, voicing why the barrier on the E45th would result in dangerous driving pattern by our local elementary school on E46th.

May 27, 2010: Mike Anderson wrote back and indicate the "Budget" is a major criteria in their decision making, and the City engineering would monitor the traffic pattern during the trial period.

June 17, 2010: The City Engineering put up a barrier as show on the picture, courtesy of TOS'd at http://www.revscene.net/forums/warning-rant-intersection-t616780p2.html

June 18, 2010: I wrote a detail mail to Mr. Mike Anderson informing him, that since the barrier went up, we have increase traffic along E46th Ave. and Nanaimo St. by our local elementary school zone. I also demand to know how the Engineer that design the barrier want us local residents to get home now that the only direct access on E45th is block off.

June 18, 2010: Mike Anderson wrote back and said,
As a resident of the neighbourhood, it is reasonable that you use neighbourhood streets to access your home. My suggestion is that you use Nanaimo Street. Although there is a school zone on Nanaimo Street, you as a resident of the neighbourhood are more of aware of this than most, so we would expect you to respect that zone more than many non-local motorists might. As noted in my previous communication with you, we recognize that there is an inconvenience for you and your neighbours. However, our primary objective is to reduce non-local traffic using our bikeways. Note that Nanaimo Street is not designated as a bikeway south of 45th Avenue.

I am very angry and disappointed by the stone-walling tactic that the City Engineering and the current sit-in Vision councillors are taking. Around three years ago, the previous city council was courteous enough to mail an input & feedback letter shortly after the City put up a right turn only barrier at the same intersection. We, local neighbourhood residents, overwhelming vote "NO" to the right turn only barrier. The City backed down and dismantle the temporary barrier. Now 3 years later, the current Vision council don't even want a "Feedback" They want the barrier Now! If no one complaints, then it is going to be permanent concrete island in six months. It is the same tactic the council is using for the Georgia Viaduct.

This tactic is disgusting. the Georgia Viaduct bike project cost the merchants millions in lost sales. The Clarendon & E45th median barrier is at the expense of our children's safety.
These people only care that their precious cyclists get a reduce traffic on their bike route. They don't care the traffic get push to our children's school playground area on E46th.
Mr. Mike Anderson even has the gull to said that Nanaimo from E45th to E49th is no longer their precious bike route, so the increase traffic is okay.

I question what the City Engineering and the current city council is thinking? Do you know how long it take us local residents/parents to get speed humps to reduce the traffic in the E46th and the Nanaimo St. school zone area to protect our children??!! It taken years... We have to wait for a hit-and-run death at Elliott & Waverley St. before we got the E46th pedestrian activated traffic light. So now your adult bikers's safety along E45th are more important than our children's safety who run across the E46th side street & Nanaimo St. near the playgound all the time??


Dear residents,

I ask your help in sharing this story.

We are trying our best to protect our children going to Waverley Elementary school, by writing letters and forwarding petitions to the Mayor & Council. But public pressure is needed.
The current Vision council has a ruling majority and most are extremely cyclist oriented. This issue is not about drivers versus cyclist, but our children's safety versus cyclist's. Please do not let the City Engineering & the Vision council confuse the issue.

If you want more information, please do not hesitate to e-mail me back or comment on this blog.

Sincerely,

Tom Huang at Margarets St.