Slow Streets

Since May, we've designated 40km of Slow Streets with simple traffic barriers and signs to make it easier for residents to exercise and access businesses in their local neighbourhood.

This fall, we are implementing temporary traffic calming measures on selected Slow Streets. Traffic calming measures help reduce motor vehicle volumes and make these routes more comfortable for walking, cycling and rolling.

As part of the Slow Streets Upgrades, additional signage and concrete barriers will be installed and there will be some local changes to parking and traffic circulation. This week, we will install traffic calming measures on two Slow Streets:

1. Wall Street near Oxford and Cambridge Park
2. Ontario Street near Riley Park

Review the Supplemental Design Guide to learn more about each traffic calming measure and the rationale behind the transportation upgrade. We will regularly update this guide and the Slow Streets Map with Traffic Calming Upgrades locations.

Once the measures are installed, we will be asking the public to share their feedback about how these changes are working. We will monitor these traffic calming measures by reviewing public feedback, collecting data and making adjustments as needed.

The planned upgrades align with upcoming and long-term transportation projects such as existing and future greenways, bike lanes, and traffic calming measures.

Last week, our crew installed the latest wave of #SlowStreets.

We’ve designated 40 km of Vancouver’s roads for Slow Streets to give people more room to move. With Slow Streets open to local traffic only, they’re a great place to get some exercise or enjoy the fresh air while staying two metres apart. Have you had a chance to try one out?

• Woodland Drive from Charles Street to E 15th Avenue
• E 15th Avenue/ E 14 Avenue/ E 13th Avenue from Woodland Drive to St. George Street
• St. George Street from E 8th Avenue to E 13th Avenue and E 27th to E 31st Avenue
• E 8th Avenue from St. George Street to Glen Drive
• Glen Drive/ Windsor Street from E 8th Avenue to E 27th Avenue
• E 27th Avenue from Windsor Street via pop-up plaza to St. George Street
• E 31st Avenue/ E 30th Avenue from Ontario Street to St. George Street
• Ontario Street from E 30th Avenue to E 33rd Avenue

These routes link to one of the pop-up plaza at E 27th Avenue and Fraser Street. Other installed routes provide connection to plazas at W 18th Avenue and Cambie Street and W 13th Avenue and Granville Street. Check out more about plazas at vancouver.ca/pop-up-plazas.

If you are sharing any photos of your discoveries about Slow Streets on social media, please tag us using #SlowStreetsVan and #WalkBikeRoll.

The next set of Slow Streets routes are:

• W 14th Avenue from Main Street to Alder Street
• W 18th Avenue from Main Street to Heather Street
• W 13th Avenue from Alder Street to Granville Street (which connects to a pop-up plaza at W 13th Avenue and Granville Street)
• Alder Street from W 14th Avenue to W 7th Avenue
• W 7th Avenue from Alder Street to Laurel Street
• Heather St from W 22nd Avenue to W 14th Avenue

If you are driving, remember that these streets are now for local access only, and watch for people who may be walking on the street. Be courteous, drive slow, and please don't pass people walking and cycling on #SlowStreets!

If you are sharing any photos of your discoveries on social media, please tag us using #SlowStreetsVan and #WalkBikeRoll.

Over the weekend, crews were busy installing the next round of Slow Streets! You can expect to see new barriers and signage:

• Charles Street from McLean Drive to Slocan Street
• Kitchener Street from Slocan Street to Lilooet Street
• Lilooet Street from Hastings Park to Sunrise Park

With all of the new people cycling and rolling on the streets these days, please remember to #bekind as people learn and develop confidence while riding. Practice #physicaldistancing and avoid crowded areas, and if you can, try traveling outside of peak hours. Remember, if you are driving, Slow Streets are for local traffic only. Keep speeds low, and please watch for people walking, cycling, playing or otherwise enjoying the roadway.

If you are sharing any photos of your discoveries on social media, please tag us using #SlowStreetsVan and #WalkBikeRoll.

Four more routes were installed in the month of May, providing shared space for people walking, cycling, rolling and driving while maintaining safe physical distance.

• Keefer Street from Gore Avenue to Campbell Avenue
• Princess Avenue from Keefer Street to Atlantic Street
• Windsor Street from E 37th Avenue to E 41st Avenue
• Inverness Street from E 41st Avenue to E 51st Avenue
• E 51st Avenue from Inverness Street to Ontario Street

In the third week of May, we rolled out our first wave of Slow Streets routes:

• Wall Street
• Lakewood Drive
• Gladstone Street from Vanness Avenue to E 36th Avenue
• E 36th Avenue from Gladstone Street to Dumfries Street
• E 37th Avenue from Dumfries Street to Cambie Street

These are priority streets for walking and cycling, and we invite vehicle drivers for local traffic only. Please watch for people who may be walking or cycling in the street, keep speeds low, and be kind.

Streets in Kits Point are the prototype Slow Street routes implemented in mid-April. These routes were implemented with simple barriers and signage providing local access and shared space for people walking, cycling, rolling and driving while maintaining safe physical distance. With physical distancing continuing to be a recommended public health protocol during Phase Three of BC’s Restart Plan, we are continuing initiatives that provide additional space for people to exercise and access services. We’ll be monitoring how the space is used.