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Home > Streets and transportation > Walk, bike, and transit > Biking > Improving our cycling network > Downtown bike network
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We are improving the downtown bike network to make cycling safer and more enjoyable for people of all ages and abilities. Improvements include:
- Beatty Street (upgrade)
- Cambie Street northbound (new)
- Richards Street southbound (upgrade)
- Smithe Street westbound and Nelson Street eastbound (new)
The improvements will support the launch of a public bike share system in summer 2016.
These routes are part of a larger 2016-2017 Active Transportation network improvement plan, which was reviewed by Council in December 2015. View Council report and presentation
Project goals
As part of this project, we’re proposing to:
- Expand connectivity in the downtown bike network
- Provide a cycling environment that feels safer and more comfortable for people of all ages and abilities
- Reduce conflicts between buses and people cycling, and improve transit operations where possible
- Accommodate the loading and access needs of adjacent businesses, institutions and residences
- Minimize costs and disruptions by coordinating with repaving or development where possible, using primarily inexpensive measures such as paint and signs
- Maintain on-street parking where possible
Why we are expanding the network
The downtown bike network links many key destinations, including shopping streets, cultural institutions, and major transit centres.
Bicycle ridership is growing on downtown routes, but there are:
- Gaps in the network
- Important destinations that are not connected to protected bike lanes
