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Weekend report: Bikes and blunders

November 1st, 2009 · 20 Comments

Just in time, yet another news release is issued on the city’s favourite one-kilometre stretch of news, the Burrard Bridge and its bike lane. The mayor’s office issued Bulletin 23 today, with polling results showing everyone in Vancouver wants to kiss a cyclist. Well, something like that. (See exact wording below, plus the city report here.)

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence it helped feed the news media something this weekend besides the news of Andrea Reimer’s Twitter faux pas, an incident that will surely appear in the list of Ten Top Bad Twitter Posts for the year.

New poll shows strong support across city for Burrard Bridge bike lanes

In a new poll released this week as part of a council report on the Burrard Bridge bike lanes, strong support exists across the city to maintain the protected bike lane trial.


The poll, conducted by the Mustel Group from September 23 through 28, surveyed 310 Vancouverites who live downtown, on the westside (west of Granville, north of 33rd), and across the city about their attitudes towards the bike lane trial. Among the findings:

    • Support for the continuation of the bike lane trial outnumbers opposition by over 2:1, with 45% in favor versus 21% opposed;

    • Support rises within the downtown, with 57% in support and 20% opposed;

    • Support is highest on the westside, with 60% support, and only 18% opposed;

    • 90% of cyclists and 79% of pedestrians support the continuation of the trial; and

    • Of those who travel the Burrard Bridge by single occupancy vehicle, 51% support the continuation of the bike lane trial, with 31% opposed.



Mayor Robertson said the poll shows that the bike lane trial has been a success, and that people are more supportive of cycling infrastructure than is often thought.


“It is great to see strong support for the bike lane trial across the city. It goes to show that cycling isn’t some fringe issue – people in Vancouver care about cycling safety and are willing to support a reasonable approach like the protected bike lanes,” Mayor Robertson said.


“This poll shows that Vancouverites are embracing our goal of becoming the world’s greenest city. With even a majority of car drivers supporting the bike lanes, it demonstrates that our city is serious about wanting better bike and pedestrian infrastructure.


“People, no matter how they get around, want to see the city make cycling safe and enjoyable for everyone.”

The staff report on the Burrard Bridge bike lane can be viewed here: http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20091103/documents/ttra1.pdf

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