The City of Vancouver will soon begin laying down temporary bikeways and walkways along the Arbutus Corridor after finalizing path design with residents.
The Greenway will run from Fir Street in Fairview to Milton Street in Marpole, and will be temporarily split into five different sections as follows:
Fir Street to West Broadway – a 4m wide asphalt path will be separated into a 2.5m bike lane and a 1.5 walking lane. An extra 2m wide bark mulch walking path will run alongside, separated from the asphalt by a 0.5-1.5m gap.
West Broadway to West 16th Avenue – a 5m wide asphalt path will be separated into a 2.5m bike lane and a 2.5 walking lane.
West 16th Avenue to West 33rd Avenue – a 4m wide asphalt path will be separated into a 2.5m bike lane and a 1.5 walking lane. An extra 2m wide bark mulch walking path will run alongside, separated from the asphalt by a 0.5-1.5m gap.
West 33rd Avenue to West 41st Avenue – a 5m wide asphalt path will be separated into a 2.5m bike lane and a 2.5 walking lane.
West 41st Avenue to Milton Street – a 2.5m asphalt bike lane and a 2.5m asphalt bike lane will be separated by a 0.5m-1m gap.
According to a City report on the new plan, the design was finalized after hearing from residents that safety and accessibility were fundamental considerations.
“Asphalt provides a smooth, predictable surface for people of all ages and abilities,” says the report. “In addition to providing an asphalt path along the length of the corridor, we’ve incorporated bark mulch for those who prefer walking and running on a softer surface.”
There will also be improvements made to intersections and connections to other paths.
The aim is to have a usable path on the future Arbutus Greenway by the end of 2016, with more improvements next year, including the installation of benches in spring 2017.
The City is also exploring lighting options for the corridor at select locations, and additional amenities such as washrooms and public art will be part of the future Arbutus Greenway.
Public consultation on the final design of the future Arbutus Greenway will begin in early December. To sign up to have your say and get updates, head to vancouver.ca.