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Vancouver will move forward with a plan to install protected bike lanes along Columbia Street and remove nearly 400 parking spaces, following a near-consensus from the city council that pedestrian and cyclist safety was more important than maintaining convenient parking along the corridor.

The decision followed a lengthy discussion Monday evening, in which five of the seven councilors expressed support for the option with the biggest footprint: protected bike lanes along both directions of Columbia Street from Eighth Street to 13th Street and Mill Plain Boulevard to 45th Street, with a protected northbound bike lane and a marked shared southbound lane along the section from 13th Street to Mill Plain.

“This, to me, comes down to a choice between safety and parking. When it comes to that, safety is always going to win for me,” said Councilor Erik Paulsen, one of the voices in support of the plan.

Councilor Ty Stober, who patched into the conversation remotely, said there were no easy compromises. As is, Vancouver has the worst car vs. cyclist and car vs. pedestrian accident rate in the state of Washington, he added.

“Ultimately, sacrifice is required,” Stober said. “Very tangible losses for few in exchange for very disbursed gains for many. It’s a very hard pill to swallow.”