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How can we reach our 2020
Greenest City Targets?

GC 2020

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171 results found

  1. Add a rapid transit line to the valley

    Driving along the #1, it seems ridiculous to me that we're widening the highway and adding more bridges, which will just INCREASE commuter traffic.

    What we should really be doing is providing an alternative to jumping into single occupancy vehicles to commute into the city, in order to DECREASE commuter traffic.

    It's inconceivable to me that there is no rail line out to Abbotsford, Chilliwack, etc.

    67 votes
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  2. Congestion Pricing Downtown

    Price motor vehicles entering the metropolitan core. Congestion pricing will reduce the number of motor vehicle converging on the Downtown every morning, and will make lane re-allocations and pedestrianised streets an easier process due to reduced demand for road space.

    54 votes
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    The City supports the idea of road / congestion pricing, and bridge tolls are one possible implementation. A regional (as opposed to a downtown or city) approach might work best, given travel behaviour, patterns of movement, and jurisdictional issues. This lies outside City jurisdiction, so our role is limited to advocacy; changes to Provincial legislation are required.

  3. Cap on transit fare increase

    Provide Translink with subsidies as long as they agree to place a cap on transit fare increases for the next five years. This way, taking public transportation remains to be an affordable option for the masses to help decrease carbon emissions.

    53 votes
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    Transit fares fall outside City jurisdiction, and there are multiple factors to consider. It is important that prices are affordable and equitable; at the same time, fares are an important revenue source for TransLink. The draft Greenest City plan will include directions to advocate for new sources of funding for improved transit (e.g. congestion pricing, vehicle levies).

  4. granville island foot bridge

    If there were a foot/bicycle bridge slung underneath the Granville Street Bridge, it might encourage those that are driving from the West End to simply walk. As well, this would provide a an interesting circle walk around the east side of False Creek. The foot bridge could just go from the board walk to the island. It would need stairs, but could also have a pair of counter balancing elevators for those on bikes or handicapped. Heck, for extreme green fun, perhaps the elevator could be power by a small tidal generator in False Creek

    53 votes
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  5. Change traffic laws on bikeways

    Now that we are investing in improving our (already mostly amazing) separated bikeways, it's time to change the laws on them to reflect the reality that riding a bike is different from driving a car, and the rules of the road were made for cars. I am tired of explaining to people who have never ridden a bike in the city why it's not feasible to stop at every stop sign, esp when they are quiet 4 way stops, at the bottom of a hill, etc. There seems to be a backlash among drivers that cyclists are out of control…

    52 votes
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    The City recently began implementing 30-km/h speed limits on local street bikeways.

    Other measures may require changes to provincial legislation. In these cases, the City’s role will be to advocate for appropriate changes to the legislative framework around cycling.

  6. 'Pedestrianize' Robson St. permanently (no cars) - or at least do a 6 month trial

    Studies show that commercial streets (full of shops, cafes and restaurants) that have been converted into foot or bicycle traffic only, have dramatic increases in public activity and economic growth.

    Do you know any other streets that would benefit from this? Leave your comment below!

    52 votes
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    The draft Greenest City plan will include directions to explore pedestrian-only and pedestrian-priority streets in the downtown core. Potential locations will be identified at a later date (e.g. as part of the transportation plan update).

  7. install many many more public washrooms

    Install Many Many More Public Washrooms ... no this idea is not off topic! There are so few public washrooms in Vancouver that it’s a barrier to walking, biking and taking transit even for people with mature, healthy bladders, let alone when one considers the needs of Seniors and parents with young children. With the the paltry offering of public washrooms, who can reasonably view this City as transit and alt. car friendly? The ready access to washrooms is one reason people plan car trips to Shopping Malls and Big Box retailers rather than walk, bike or take transit to…

    49 votes
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    Good idea! In the past few years, the City has installed 8 of 16 self-cleaning toilets as part of its street furniture contract with CBS-Decaux, and is looking for additional locations. (As an aside, locating them can be challenging due to limited public sidewalk space, a lack of utility connections, and concerns from adjacent businesses.) New public restrooms have also been installed as part of recent park upgrades. There is also a huge opportunity and need at transit interchanges, but this is outside the City’s jurisdiction — Vancouver has repeatedly requested (and will continue to ask) that TransLink install restrooms in its rapid transit stations.

  8. Make Transit Easy and Driving Hard

    Start to make driving difficult and transit easier and accessible.

    Key Points in this would be: Eliminating Curbside Parking to make room for additional transit. No more road upgrades unless it is necessary for the purpose of trucking and goods transport. Increase transit density so that the majority of citizens are within a 10 minute walk of transit that will arrive on average every 10 minutes. This can be done through buses and trams. Extend rapid transit to unreached areas such as the broadway corridor, coquitlam and the tri-cities, Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford. This could be done through current projects…

    47 votes
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  9. Pedestrianised Streets

    Make the following streets pedestrianised:
    Granville St--in the zone dedicated for transit use. Transit can remain on its current routing along Seymour and Howe. (Issue a refund to Translink for their contribution to the redesign)
    South of Smithe, re-allocate two lanes for cycling (four motor vehicle lanes is overtly excessive).
    South of Nelson, remove the car parking on the sidewalk! That has to be the ***** design imaginable. That space should be for pedestrians, not for perching motor vehicles. This is effectively creating a 6-lane arterial on Granville.

    Gastown, and;

    Robson--from Granville St., west to Jervis St.

    47 votes
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    The Rediscover Granville program was a big success in 2009, and the City will be looking to continue and build upon this work in future years. More broadly, the draft Greenest City plan will include directions to explore pedestrian-only and pedestrian-priority streets in the downtown core. Potential locations will be identified at a later date (e.g. as part of the transportation plan update).

    http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/currentplanning/granvilleredesign/rediscover/

  10. 46 votes
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    Requires support from the provincial and federal governments. The draft Greenest City plan will advocate for new sources of funding for improved transit (e.g. congestion pricing, vehicle levies).

  11. Pets on public transit.

    Toronto allows people to take their pets on transit, on leashes (instead of in carriers). This will enable owners of bigger pets to take their furry friends on hikes, without requiring the use of a car. Encouraging transit, healthy living, and access to nature at the same time!

    43 votes
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  12. Bike alternative (bridge?) to Massey Tunnel

    You can't bike through Massey Tunnel. At ALL. That means you have to take a bus to the ferry, or the free shuttle service which works only in summertime and at very particular times. If you miss it, you have to wait for hours. There should be a bike bridge instead -- more flexibility for the bikers and eliminate the shuttle too.

    43 votes
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  13. Make public transportation truly PUBLIC again

    Translink is a private company doing a public service. Public transportation would be better for the people, and greener for the city, if it was run by the people/city instead of by this company who has not much more than profits on the brain.

    42 votes
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  14. Work with surrounding cities and Translink to improve commuter transportation

    Commuting to and from Vancouver is a huge source of pollution, gas consumption and energy waste. It's great if Vancouver does a lot of smaller things to make it a greener city, but if the issue of commuter waste is not addressed, then calling itself the greenest city might be a little fluffy. Commuting is not going to go away - how could it be better? By using existing rail lines for commuter trains. Building skytrain service further out into the Valley and White Rock. Organize carpool companies that will match commuter needs. We must get the cars with single…

    42 votes
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  15. keep transit open later - esp. on weekends

    Giving people more access to late night transit - especially on the weekends 0 will increase their likelihood of using it to get to central areas as well as decrease the number of drunk drivers on the road.

    41 votes
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    A good idea that is outside municipal jurisdiction. The City will continue to work with TransLink and advocate for improved transit service, including higher frequency and longer hours.

  16. Have all of the city's fleet of vehicles be electric and plug-in hybrid (when possible).

    Have electric vehicles for short distance trips and plug-in hybrids for longer trips. Also, have all new heavy trucks (like garbage trucks) be diesel hybrid.

    39 votes
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  17. Create a separated bike lane along Kingsway

    It is an incredibly direct route leading from Broadway corridor to Burnaby, but currently has far too many lanes of car traffic to feel good cycling along it.

    37 votes
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    The city’s new 10-year cycling program master plan will soon be in development, and hopefully completed within the next year. A big part of the work ahead is to identify where separated bike lanes might be appropriate.

    Lessons learned from the downtown trial will be an important input into the plan. The results so far support evidence elsewhere that separated bike lanes are a great way to make cycling more attractive on busy streets.

    For more information, visit http://vancouver.ca/cycling .

  18. Work with school districts to make commuter cycling/bike confidence skills part of Phys-Ed

    Like most cities, there are different sorts of routes for biking - from trails, to physically separate lanes, to painted lanes, or signed shared bike routes. In order to take full advantage of these the City should work with School Districts to help support cycling as a Phys-Ed requirement - working up to kids going on field trips on bikes. There could also be hardscape bike-training space with miniature lanes in neighbourhood parks for families to take their kids to practice riding.

    37 votes
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  19. Car Free Sundays

    Designate one major boulevard (Main, Commercial, Granville, etc.) throughout the city as car free every Sunday. Build on the success of Vancouver Car Free Days in the summer.

    35 votes
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  20. Free parking for 100% electric cars

    For the first x number of 100% electric cars registered, free metered parking anywhere in Vancouver.

    34 votes
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