The District of North Vancouver proposes to reduce vehicle lanes on part of Mountain Highway, reconfiguring it from one vehicle travel lane in each direction to replace with buffered cycling lanes.
If you can believe the District of North Vancouver staff, this won’t cause any traffic delays at all. “Technical analysis has demonstrated that these changes will not adversely impact vehicle capacity or vehicle delays,” staff writes in a report that council will discuss at a Council Workshop on November 25.
The plan focuses on the central portion of the highway, between East 18th Street and East 27th Street, and would reduce the highway to one vehicle lane in each direction to make room for curb extensions, left-turn pockets, and buffered cycling lanes.
What is proposed
1, Curb extensions at Mountain Highway and E 18th Street.
2, Left-turn pockets (in both directions) at Mountain Highway and E 20th Street/Kirkstone Road, as well as Mountain Highway and E 24th Street/Emery Place.
3, Buffered cycling lanes from E 24th Street/Emery Place to E 18th Street, which will increase separation between motorists and pedestrians using the existing sidewalk.
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District staff says the changes will address safety concerns on the corridor and are being proposed in ‘response to community desires to create a safer and inviting space for all transportation modes’. The reconfiguration, they say, will help separate cyclists and pedestrians from vehicle traffic while maintaining efficient vehicle movement along the corridor.
“The corridor has the second most overall pedestrian-involved and cyclist-involved collisions in the District and received the most reported safety concerns by the public. As such, the Mountain Highway Safety Improvements Project considers safety and mobility improvements along this corridor and at intersections, to advance the District’s goals of realizing a safer walking, cycling, transit, and driving network,” the report says.
The report also adds that Mountain Highway between E 27th Street and E 18th Street is located on the Major Bikeway Network, as identified in TransLink’s Regional Cycling Strategy. “The MBN is an ultimate plan for safe, direct, and comfortable cycling routes connecting town/urban centres and other regionally significant destinations. Mountain Highway’s identification as a MBN corridor also aligns with Council identifying Mountain Highway as a Council Priority Route to connect LVTC and LCTC.”
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District of North Vancouver’s Mountain Highway Safety Improvements Project spans a major route that links Lynn Valley Town Centre to other parts of the region, including Highway 1 and Lynn Creek Town Centre. District staff have divided the project into three segments—north (Lynn Valley Road to East 27th Street), central (East 27th Street to East 18th Street), and south (East 18th Street to Arborlynn Drive)—to address funding constraints.
The central segment is being prioritized due to its alignment with upcoming paving schedules and the opportunity for cost savings.
The proposal has sparked pushback from some residents. A petition opposing the plan, titled “Prevent Reduction of Car Lanes on Mountain Highway,” has gathered hundreds of signatures, with critics arguing the lane reduction will create congestion and inconvenience for drivers.
“While it is evident that creating safer space for bikers is crucial, the reduction in car lanes should not be the primary solution to this. Proper urban planning should consider the needs of all road users,” says petition organizer Cheryl A. “We need a solution that doesn’t disadvantage one group for the sake of another. We urge the Council to reconsider the proposed changes, and find an alternative that ensures safety and efficiency for all road users on Mountain Highway.”
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The District consults and then goes ahead and does what it wants anyway. Public input be damned. Traffic will eventually back up past Kirkstone Road going down Mountain Highway every time the freeway is backed up. Bike route should be down 20th and onto Arborlynn. Much safer route in my opinion.
Once again these Staffers are attempting to justify their jobs’ by coming up with yet another project that is unnecessary. Remember what they have done on the east side 20th Street hill. A debacle that needs to be removed! This change will absolutely make traffic worse and more importantly, it completely unnecessary! It’s time NVD and NVC Counselors push back on Staffers plans and start focusing on fiscal responsibility. This is an unneeded expenditure at a time when property tax rates are skyrocketing due to out of control spending!
I meant to say 29th Street hill. 🙂
Has the local mortuary been consulted.
Might they have “space”?
After living in Lynn Valley at mountain Highway and 18th for 10 years I have witnessed first hand district that the public health.
Whether it’s the stupidest bike group on 29th that is completely useless and has snarled traffic everywhere or the mountain Highway interchange which wasted 300 million and has done nothing except possibly cause more traffic the district has proved they’re not only completely incompetent but they are completely doing everything against the public will and the public good.
Who comes up with this absurdity, “Technical analysis demonstrated that” the Mountain Hwy overpass would solve and be designed in a fashion to accomodate growth for at least the forseable decade. It was outdated before it was finished.
This bike lane design is flawed to say the least.
Stop the development growth in Lynn Valley and let infrastructure catch up.
Spoiler alert, it (infrastructure)won’t.
And just like 29th street how does a courier deliver to the properties in these effect areas? One can think “oh just park a block down on a side street” but my boss doesn’t pay me to take 10 minutes to do a delivery. 29th has a few spots for “loading zones” yet every single time I’d try and use it the same 2 vehicles were always parked in it. Everyday.
Now park in the middle of the road and not the bike lane and now you’re a hazard to all traffic. Park in a bike lane and face fines and aggressive men in spandex shorts.
I worked in that area for several years till just recently changing routes and I can honestly say absolutely zero thought gets put into anything other than the benefit to a cyclist. Why not just build them their own pathways not cutting off access to people’s property. Hell half of them don’t even use the seperate lane on 29th and still ride in the road.
In my view the DNV is NOT LISTENING to the infrastructure
needs of its residents! . Why is it not evident that auto traffic is most
contentious issue in North Vancouver. To reduce car lanes on a major
corridor such as Mountain Hwy to further accommodate cyclists indicates
the disconnect between major users ( car commuters / good and service providers /population that does not cycle and the District.
This will be great addition to a more liveable north shore. A functional cycling network is a boon to all-especially drivers. When alternatives to driving are viable, it frees up space for those who actually need to use a motor vehicle such as trades people.