The Granville Street Bridge is set for some major upgrades, and the six possible re-design proposals were revealed this past weekend.
Currently, the Granville Street Bridge consists of eight lanes. The City of Vancouver believes that the bridge is under-utilized, so re-design proposals are geared around converting some traffic lanes into lanes for pedestrians and cyclists.
Granville Street Bridge Shorlisted Designs
Here’s a look at the six final design proposals:
1. West Side
The first proposal sees a wide sidewalk added to the west side of the bridge, along with a two-way bike lane.
2. West Side +
The second proposal includes those of the first proposal, but also widens the sidewalk on the east side of the bridge, rather than leaving it as is.
3. East Side
This third proposal is a reverse of proposal #1, seeing the widened-sidewalk and two-way bike lane on the east side of the bridge, rather than the west. While on the surface it may seem inconsequential, the differences between the west and east side affect transit compatibility.
4. East Side +
Similar to the East Side proposal, the East Side + proposal includes all the same changes on the east side, as well as a widened sidewalk on the west side.
5. Raised Centre
This one is definitely the most unique. The Raised Centre proposal sees the wide sidewalk and two-way bike lane in the middle of the bridge, separating the two directions of traffic. The sidewalk and bike lane would also be elevated about 1-metre higher than traffic lanes, to provide better views.
6. Both Sides
This design is the most balanced and symmetrical. Rather than having a single two-way bike lane on one side of the bridge, this last proposal sees a one-way bike lane, along with a widened sidewalk, on both sides of the bridge.
For ease of comparison, here’s a side-by-side comparison of the six different proposals:
Because the Granville Street Bridge is a major artery, the City of Vancouver is looking for public input. The city will host open houses throughout September where you can share your thoughts. In addition, an online survey is set to go live on September 13th.
For more local Vancouver news, stay tuned to 604 Now News.
[sjnow-ad-large-leaderboard]
