Making Streets for People Program

Temporary changes we made during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we made temporary changes to how we use our city streets and public spaces. These changes were made as part of the ‘Making Streets for People’ program, which aimed to help residents:

Physically distance
Mitigate the risk of COVID-19 to our communities
Support economic recovery

What the program included

Approving temporary patios so people could dine out and businesses could continue to serve customers
Creating pop-up plazas so people could gather outside
Calming traffic to make ‘slow streets’ more comfortable for people walking, biking, and rolling
Making more room to line up and board buses at some key stops
Repurposing street space for more walking, biking, and rolling along Beach Ave and supporting connections into and throughout Stanley Park
Making more room for walking and queuing along busy streets

These measures also support our ongoing effort to create safer streets, limit the effects of climate change, and increase social connection between residents.

We have monitored these initiatives since their deployment and received feedback from the community. Many of these changes remain in place pending their transition to other planning processes over the longer term.

Arbutus Street temporary bike path

We temporarily upgraded a portion of an existing route for cycling on Arbutus Street.
In late August 2021, a temporary protected bike path was installed on Arbutus St, between McNicoll Ave and Kitsilano Beach Park’s southern parking lot (adjacent to Cornwall Avenue). This bikeway became part of the Kitsilano Beach Park Seaside Greenway project.

Kitsilano Beach Park Seaside Greenway

On April 11 2022, following a three-phase public engagement process, The Parks Board approved the location of a proposed separated bike path at Kitsilano Beach Park.

The route:
- Retains a protected bike path on Arbutus St between McNicoll Avenue and Kitsilano Beach Park’s southern parking lot (adjacent to Cornwall Ave)
- Re-introduces two-way vehicle access on Arbutus St between Creelman and McNicoll Ave
Learn more about the Kitsilano Beach Park Seaside Greenway project
Beach Avenue interim design

During the COVID-19 pandemic, new features were implemented on Beach Ave to improve safety and encourage walking, biking, and rolling.
New features
- Repurposed the southern half of the roadway for a wider bike path along Beach Ave from Park Lane to Hornby St.
- Retained eastbound motor vehicle and transit access from Denman to Pacific streets.
- Provided more space for walking and rolling, particularly around English Bay/First Beach.
- New painted crosswalks.
- Added medians to shorten crossing distances.
- Introduced accessible design features, such as tactile surfaces.
Public feedback

Opportunities to share feedback about the longer-term vision for these spaces and whether to make these changes permanent will be available through the West End Waterfront Plan process.

Traffic monitoring

Engineering staff will be monitoring traffic west of Denman St in response to the Park Board’s motion to modify traffic patterns in Stanley Park (including the area west of Beach Ave). The implementation of a permanent bike lane on Stanley Park Dr is planned for summer 2024.

This monitoring will help inform any changes to Stanley Park or the West End waterfront.
Room to Load

During the pandemic, we provided short-term loading zones near businesses.
Granville Street patio and transit priority pilot

Temporary changes were introduced on Granville St to create more room for people to move and support local businesses.
Changes we made
- Removed parking from the sidewalk between Drake St and Nelson St.
- Worked with local businesses to expand patios.
- Modified traffic operations by:
  - Lowering speed limit to 30km/hr
  - Changing the curb lane from a travel lane to a loading zone, with space for bus stops
  - Relocating the northbound vehicle restriction ( Do No Enter Except for Authorized Vehicles) from Smithe St to Nelson St
  - Restricting left turns for northbound vehicles at Davie St
Robson St sidewalk and plaza pilot

Temporary changes were introduced on Robson St between Jervis St and Burrard St to create more room for people to move, wait for transit, and access local businesses.
Pilot project

The pilot project included:
- Re-purposing street space beside the curb for walking or queuing
- Extending parklets to provide additional space for walking and sitting
- Supporting temporary patios for businesses
- Partnering with the Robson Street Business Association to activate the spaces with art
- Improving transit reliability by restricting some turning movements at Burrard St and Thurlow St
- Providing more space at bus stops and prioritizing transit by adding bus bulbs
This pilot project had positive feedback from the community in a 2020 survey.

2023 updates

In 2023, we are:
- Upgrading the Robson-Burrard bus bulb to further improve functionality and make repairs and maintenance easier
- Retaining the extended parklets as places to sit
- Removing some of the temporary widened sidewalks for walking and queuing
- Returning the street space beside the curb to pre-COVID regulations or new passenger and goods loading zones
Future upgrades

A permanent Bute-Robson Plaza design with wider sidewalks on Robson St.

Learn more about the permanent Bute-Robson Plaza design

We are using what we learned in the COVID-19 pandemic to guide investment towards transportation and public space improvements on West End commercial streets.

Have your say about West End commercial streets
Connecting current actions with other City initiatives

How the reallocation of road space aligns with our long-term goals and changes.
The temporary changes made to address our communities’ needs during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed us to test how street space could be reallocated.

Transportation and climate response goals

Further reallocation of street space aligns with our longer term transportation and climate responses; including changes to support cleaner air, make our streets safer for walking, biking, and rolling and increase social connection and healthier living.
- Climate emergency has a target of shifting 2/3 of trips to active transportation and transit by 2030
- In May 2020, Council directed staff to reallocate 11% of road space to people-focused public space throughout the city and consider changes that could become longer term or possibly permanent
We continue to monitor and learn from the temporary changes made through the Making Streets for People Program.