With a price tag of $300,000 and a configuration that doesn't affect the current number of lanes for cars, the Dunsmuir Viaduct could be the site of Vancouver's next separated bike lane if city council votes tomorrow to give the project a go. If voted in (and I can't see why it wouldn't) it would be the second separated bike lane into the downtown core, with the first of course being the Burrard Bridge. Speaking of that, please enjoy this amazing video of a car that just doesn't seem to understand the idea of bike lane.

This is just the first step in the city really looking at the viability of more separated bike lanes running in a network throughout the downtown core. In statistics from Frances Bula's Globe and Mail article on the subject, trips by bike in Kits and Commercial Drive area account for 10% of travel. A number that shrinks to about half of that once you enter the downtown core.

I'm all for separated bike lanes. It's better for those drivers who get aggravated and skittish when encountering cyclists on busy downtown roads. It's also better for the cyclists as they don't constantly have to watch over their shoulder to see if someone is coming up behind them while simultaneously checking to see if a car door is going to fly open in their path. While I don't believe cars and bikes need to exist in totally separate realms, it's safer for both on busy streets if there are separate lanes.

Many other North American cities are experimenting with adding separated bike lanes, including an extensive project going on in New York.

It makes sense that when cyclists don't feel as if they're going to get run over they will use their bikes in more places. And drivers should be happy as it takes a lot of those crazy cyclists out of their pathways. I know a number of friends who own bikes, but are nervous to take them out on heavily trafficked downtown roads. I've been commuting into downtown on my bike for almost two years now, but it took me awhile to feel safe on certain roads. Cyclists outside of the downtown core have a number of traffic-calmed streets like 10th ave to use as a way across town, but as soon as you cross one of the bridges those disappear and at most you may have a thin, painted white lane on the ground.

There are some separated bike lanes being sewn into the new fabric of the Chinatown and DTES area around the new developments by Tinseltown. These orangey-brown strips run parallel to the road and sidewalks nearby and are a good start. However, if the city wants to increase the amount of people using their bikes to get around, they're going to need more. Maybe it's just because I use it a lot when coming off the Cambie Bridge, but I see Smithe as the perfect road for a separated bike lane. It has numerous lanes, is one way, and cuts across downtown connecting to the already existed bike lane on Burrard before dumping into the traffic-calmed West End.

As the city bans street parking starting tomorrow for the Olympics, it would be a good time for the city to look at losing some of that street parking to barricaded bike lanes. Sharing the road is good, but separated roads are better.

photo by Random Dude in the BR Flickr Pool, shows the Vancouver Public Space Network decorating the then new bike lane with washable paint.