The city of Vancouver says a citizen initiative that would require voter approval to remove traffic lanes on streets in Vancouver could have costly effects, allow roads to fall further into disrepair and hold the city back from achieving its climate goals.
Grassroots group Save Our Streets took up the initiative in response to public outcry over major changes proposed for the city’s streets, including removing lanes along Southeast McGillivray Boulevard, Southeast 34th Street, Northeast 112th Avenue and other thoroughfares.
The projects fall under the city’s complete streets program, which was adopted in 2017 and aims to create a transportation network that is available to anyone regardless of how they commute.
Residents have said they felt left out of the planning process and didn’t have a say on whether the city removed automobile lanes. City officials say they have hosted open houses, conducted online surveys, and engaged with businesses and residents near the projects.
Some residents who live along Southeast McGillivray Boulevard and Southeast 34th Street say the lane reconfigurations have resulted in more congestion.
According to the city charter, the Vancouver City Council must arrange for a public hearing on the initiative and decide whether to enact the change into law or reject it within 30 days. If the council rejects the initiative, it will go to a public vote in November.
City staff, who will discuss the initiative at Monday’s city council meeting, will explain the possible consequences of the ballot initiative passing.
The city often uses state funding for road improvement projects, because they can be wildly expensive. The city estimates pavement management cost is about $23,000 per mile, said Nicole Walters, public works strategic communications manager.
Delaying planned projects funded by state grants and missing deadlines typically results in a penalty from the granting agency for future applications, Walters said.
Additionally, cities often need to promise designs that slow speeds and separate roadway users, including drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. These designs often require removing a lane to add road diets — reallocating the roadway for other uses, like a turn lane — larger bike lanes and sidewalks, or buffers.
The initiative would also set Vancouver back on its climate goals, which include carbon neutrality by both municipal operations and the Vancouver community by 2040, Walters said. The road designs that include removing lanes make it easier for people to get from place to place without cars, she said.
Transportation makes up half of the city’s greenhouse gas inventory, according to the city’s 2023 greenhouse gas inventory report.
“By prohibiting the repurposing of existing roadway space to meet emerging needs or implementing important safety interventions without a public vote, we severely hamper our ability to address both climate and safety goals,” Walters said in an email.
This is especially worrisome for Jason Cromer, an avid bicyclist and member of the group Cycle Vancouver. He believes the initiative passing would undo the work the city has done to make roads safer and easier for pedestrians and bicyclists to use.
“Reducing these lanes has a majorly profound effect on all facets of life, and I don’t think a lot of people understand that,” Cromer said.
Under the city’s road project plans, staff wrote lane reconfigurations in the Pacific Northwest have generally resulted in a 20 percent to 50 percent reduction in crashes, reduced vehicle speeds and reductions in aggressive driving.
Staff note lane reconfigurations are credited with increased sales tax revenue in Spokane and resulted in more than twice as many people walking and biking on 125th Street in Seattle after implementation.
“All of these roads are killing our small businesses,” Cromer said. “They’re killing our culture because this car-centric environment isn’t conducive to people walking around.”
If the council rejects the initiative, he said he hopes voters also reject it in November.
“If this initiative passes, it hurts everybody. … It hurts people that just want to get out and be involved in the community but don’t have the choice to drive,” Cromer said.
Save Our Streets members argue they’re not against roads.
“We’re just voting for people to have a say,” said Justin Wood, a member of Save Our Streets.
