Arbutus Greenway: March update
I took some photos yesterday between Nanton and 41st. I didn’t get around to putting them on the blog yesterday – but maybe you already follow me on Instagram or Flickr – in which case you need read no further.
A new crossing sign has appeared together with much paint on the road where the Arbutus Greenway crosses Nanton. While the elements used in the sign are standard the combination is not actually shown in the Uniform Manual of Traffic Control Devices. (But I have now seen it also used at the Highway #1 on ramp at Main Street, North Vancouver southbound to the Ironworkers’ Memorial Second Narrows Bridge.)
In general the Greenway street crossings are anything but uniform or standard, and many (not this one) have railway signalling equipment and crossbucks still in place.
One of my Instagram contacts commented
I believe it is telling you it’s okay to stand on your bike while jumping a snow fence. But I could be wrong.
This house and its delightful surrounding garden seems to me to worthy of consideration for preservation.
The city defines a “character home” as a structure built before 1940 that meets “established criteria for integrity and character of original features”. In addition, character homes are not listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register.
New access stairs near 35th Avenue
Former signalling gear – used to trigger the crossing bells and wig-wags – are still in place. I am a bit surprised that the metal thieves have not scavenged all the copper from this box.
Stephen Rees's blog 
I’m starting to wonder if they’re considering the crossbucks to have heritage value and will leave them in place. It seems a bit dicey to me since they’re “official” signage for motorists – but perhaps they figure that since they’ll never actually activate it’ll be OK.
Sean Nelson
March 31, 2017 at 10:34 am
Someone on 12th claimed that they were heritage designated – but that crossing has seen them removed, except the one he moved into his front yard. Whatever is at a crossing now can be considered temporary – as the City says
Stephen Rees
March 31, 2017 at 11:45 am
Does the city expect people with wheelchair or stroller to use the half baked gravel ramp?
That has been my point since the beginning, the access for people with disability argument (to justify extensive and expensive supposed temporary paving) was a straw-man argument,
We see, here as elsewhere that the only time the city considers people with disabilities, is when they serve its bikeway agenda…otherwise the city doesn’t give a fuck!
elsewhere like below
Voony
April 1, 2017 at 8:43 pm
Voony said: “Does the city expect people with wheelchair or stroller to use the half baked gravel ramp?”
That looks like a quick-and-dirty way to provide mid-block access to the temporary path. Remember, TEMPORARY. (And it looks like it would be adequate for a stroller to me.)
My experience is that the City is very good about wheelchair access – if you use a wheelchair and live in an area where there are curbs at intersections you need to use you can ask the city to install those corner ramps to road level and they will do it.
I have no doubt that the City would provide wheelchair access at the photographed location if, during the consultations for the permanent treatment for the corridor, someone identified the need for it.
Sean Nelson
April 3, 2017 at 1:29 pm