Update - February 2: We've extended the deadline for input to allow for more input from stakeholders and residents. Deadline for feedback is February 11, 2022 at 4:00 pm.
The City is seeking input on how to improve how residents get around the community in a final engagement phase on a draft Mobility Strategy.
The draft Strategy, developed with community input collected in an engagement process last March, was presented to Council in December 2021. Its central vision is to “create streets that work for everyone”, and contains goals and strategies with supporting actions that will contribute toward achieving the vision.
Once finalized, the new Strategy will be the City’s playbook for planning and making decisions about city streets and how residents and visitors get around over the next decade.
Moving efficiently through the community is a priority we all share,” said Mayor Linda Buchanan. “For too long, people haven’t been provided with adequate transportation choices, which is particularly true for people with mobility or accessibility issues. That’s why, with the input of residents, we’re creating a mobility strategy that will make our streets work for everyone — regardless of how you get around.”
How to Get Involved
The public engagement process seeks input on how the proposed actions within the draft Strategy can be best implemented in the community. Residents are invited to visit www.letstalk.cnv.org/mobility to learn more and find ways to participate, including:
- Reviewing the draft Mobility Strategy or summary document – copies of the summary will also be available at City Hall or North Vancouver City Library.
- Answering the survey before February 11 (4pm).
- Contacting staff with questions and feedback at mobilitystrategy@cnv.org.
In-person pop-up sessions are on hold due to COVID-19 impacts. Updates will be posted at www.letstalk.cnv.org/mobility.
Actions to Support Mobility for All
The Strategy is built around a vision of creating streets that work for everyone, no matter what mode of travel they choose. The goals aim to address issues around making streets safe, comfortable, prosperous, and vibrant, and making mobility choices accessible and sustainable.
The eleven strategies and supporting actions can be grouped into three themes:
- Make it easier for everyone to choose sustainable and affordable options for the trips we take. Key actions include: rapidly building out a network of protected cycling and mobility lanes across the City; creating conditions for enhanced transit service and coverage across the city; supporting easier access to car-sharing and carpooling services; and outreach programs for sustainable travel.
- Improve our mobility experience through the design of streets and neighbourhoods. Key actions include: reducing speed limits on local streets, and redesigning intersections to minimize the potential for conflict between different street users; reprioritizing curb space use across the city to better meet the needs of street users; making our streets and public spaces rain-friendly; and reducing the amount of vehicle parking developers are required to provide while increasing the amount of parking for sustainable modes.
- Improve the reliability for people and goods to move around our city and region. Key actions include: supporting low-emission delivery services and operations through logistics hubs and e-cargo bikes; partnering with North Shore local governments to prioritize and deliver rapid transit across Burrard Inlet; and updating standards to focus on experience for all travel modes.
Looking Toward the Future
The draft Strategy acknowledges that there is no one solution for regional traffic congestion – everyone’s mobility choices and access to them are important toward improving the reliability of city streets.
While vehicles are important and will continue to be, adding road space tends to increase vehicle traffic in almost all scenarios and usually makes traffic worse over time. The Strategy’s proposed actions work toward improving the accessibility and use of streets for the growing number of ways people move around our City.
Finalizing the Mobility Strategy
The public engagement will continue until February 11, after which time staff will analyze the feedback and make refinements to the proposed actions. Feedback will also be used to help the City prioritize how the actions are implemented within annual work plans in years to come.
The final Mobility Strategy will be presented to City Council later this spring for approval.
Residents interested in staying up-to-date on the process are invited to check for updates and sign up for email notifications at www.letstalk.cnv.org/mobility. Full background information on the project is available at www.cnv.org/mobility.