VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Do we need more separated bike lanes?

A cyclist was killed on the Stanley Park Causeway last night. Vancouver Police say the woman riding on the sidewalk fell into traffic on the causeway and was struck by a West Vancouver Transit bus.

Erin O’Melinn with HUB Your Cycling Connection says the area is very dangerous due to a lack of bike lanes. “It [the crash] makes us look at that causeway and we can see that cyclists are forced to share a sidewalk with pedestrians, which is not best practice. It’s never recommended to do that…You do need to have designated bike facilities there, which at that section because of traffic so fast moving, you would want some separation from the motor vehicles.”

She says the tragedy is an example of why changes should be a priority. “It’s sad for us to hear about a situation like this. It really emphasizes the need to provide better facilities. Of course, we want to see improvements; they’re very important.”

Although the route falls under provincial jurisdiction, she’s hoping the city will help advocate for a safer Stanley Park Causeway. “I think the city has a role in advocating for that because it is a major connector to the city. They should be pressing the province to make that very important public investment.”

Vancouver Councillor Heather Deal can’t comment on the stretch of road governed by Victoria but says the city is doing what it can to make its roads safer.

“We’re constantly monitoring but we have a lot more to do in the city. We need more separated lanes in more parts of the city but we also just need to make sure that we’re clearly identifying where cyclists can feel safe… Our experience here in the city is that the safer people feel, the more people will ride and that no tragedy is ever something that we shouldn’t learn from.”

She points to the Point Grey area bike lane proposal as an example of the work being done. The last round of consultation on the project happens tomorrow night in Kitsilano.

News1130 has contacted the Ministry of Transportation for comment on the safety of the Stanley Park Causeway and is waiting for a response.

Bike to Work Week kicks off tomorrow in communities all over the province with thousands of people expecting to take part.