A dead end has brought liveliness to Hope Road.
District of North Vancouver council voted 61 on June 24 to install a permanent cul-de-sac at Hope Road and Bowser Avenue, in part because of residents who described a new atmosphere of security, quiet, and children playing in the street.
Initially installed on a temporary basis in 2011, the road closure has forced more traffic onto Garden and MacGowan Avenues, an outcome which bothered Coun. Roger Bassam.
"I'm deeply concerned about those people on Garden as some 6,000 cars are moving down that road on a regular basis," Bassam said.
A 2013 traffic study recorded 5,600 vehicles travelling daily on Garden Avenue, compared to 5,000 vehicles on the same route in 2008.
Volumes may increase if Hope Road is not linked to the new development slated for the west side of Capilano Road, according to Bassam.
"We may be subjecting those people on Garden to a very large amount of traffic because if there's no east-west connection running through that community, it's all going to divert down Garden to Marine Drive."
Traffic volumes are at "acceptable levels," according to a staff report.
The $70,000 cul-de-sac likely benefits the majority, Bassam said, but turns a blind eye to a minority.
"It's easy to support the majority of the community. I'm really concerned that what we're doing is we're taking a very small group of people and subjecting them to a not very good future."
Bassam was the lone vote against the permanent cul-de-sac.
A driver heading from the road closure to Garden Avenue and Capilano Road will take about 85 seconds longer with the closure than without, according to a staff report.
That disparity is outweighed by the community benefits supplied by the cul-de-sac, according to Coun. Alan Nixon.
"I don't think there's any question that a minute-and-a-half delay is well worth an improved quality of life," he said.
