Letter: Parking an issue in Heights

Among the other drastic changes from the Heights District Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the city of Vancouver is proposing to change the traffic and parking around East Mill Plain Boulevard.

Along Mill Plain, the city plans to add a new bus rapid transit station and street parking.

Currently, from curb-to-curb traveling east, there is a 6-foot bike lane, 12-foot travel lane, 11-foot travel lane, 18-foot turn/median, 13-foot travel lane, 14-foot travel lane and 6-foot bike lane.

Proposed changes include a 6-foot bike lane, 3-foot buffer, 12-foot travel lane, 11-foot travel lane, 12-foot turn/median, 11-foot travel lane, 12-foot travel lane, 8-foot parking, 3-foot buffer, and 6-foot bike lane.

My main concern is the parking on Mill Plain. Mill Plain is a busy east-west arterial. The parking would be on the south side of Mill Plain from MacArthur to almost North Andresen Road. The traffic lanes near the proposed parking will be narrower than it is now. Can you imagine getting out of a car on the driver’s side on Mill Plain? Or worse, taking a child from the back seat!