After meeting with our client and through regular correspondence, our CBEL group was able to conduct a baseline assessment of the situation.

As a Project Engineer for the False Creek Flats, Peter Cohen, described to us the detailed issues and concerns of the area that needed to be addressed and recommended that we choose specific ones to put our focus on.

Fig 1. Discontinuous bike lanes force bikers to use the road

Brainstormed Ideas

Creating Room for traffic (UBC Broadway line extending into the area)
– Extension of VCC Clark
– General low quality of service in the center

Improving the sidewalks
– workers drive to work in the False Creek area; encourages workers to walk or bus if the
sidewalks are fixed
– helps with the development in the area

Add lightings along the sidewalks and bike paths
– security for the pedestrians and bikers
– encourages people to walk along at night times
– helps with path guidance at night times
– adds a “cozy feeling” to the community

Removing curbs
– saves rainwater
– increase infiltration and recharge of stormwater
– groundwater sustainability

Linking the produce area
– widen the roads for the produce trucks
– smooth traffic flow

Connecting the bike paths

Selecting a new road to yield commercial vehicles

Creating Overpasses in the northeast corner

Chosen Ideas

From doing our site inspection, we saw issues where we could easily envision some change. In particular, we chose to focus on the sidewalks, lighting, and general comfort for pedestrian traffic. Knowing that Vancouver has a plan for transportation 2040 and their plan to reduce the use of personal automobiles, we wanted to create more of a reason for the community to walk or use extended bike lanes.

We chose to focus on the 3 ideas of improving the sidewalks, adding lighting, and removing curbs.

Timeline of Chosen Ideas

The implementation of our solutions will span across from the current year 2014, to the projected transportation 2040 plan as described by the city of Vancouver. We’d want to start with the easier solutions such as the sidewalk improvements, and follow along with streetlights and creating room for traffic. The entire project is still in the reviewing/planning stage which means some of these solutions may not even be implemented but are reasonable within the given time frame perhaps in the later years.

Fig 2. Area lacks in sidewalks and has garbage lying along the sides