A group of Vancouver, Washington residents who hoped to force a vote of the people prior to any road diet project saw their dreams dashed Monday night. Officials from the City of Vancouver said in their legal opinion, a proposal to change city code supported with over 6,500 signatures is simply illegal and cannot move forward.
Here’s how it was reported by The Columbian:
“In front of a room packed with more than 100 people Monday night, Vancouver officials declared an initiative that would require voter approval to remove traffic lanes from city streets to be legally invalid and ineligible for placement on a future ballot.
“Allowing an ordinance that we believe to be illegal to proceed to public vote not only sets a precedent for potential future initiatives in Vancouver, but for other cities in Washington,” City Manager Lon Pluckhahn said.
As a result, the Vancouver City Council took no action on the initiative after a lengthy public hearing.”
Jason Cromer is an advocate with Cycle Vancouver. He was at the council meeting Monday night and reached out to BikePortland to share his takeaways. He said the vibe in the room was “tense” but that a massive showing against the initiative petition told the story. Of the 57 people who testified on the issue, Cromer estimated about 45 of them spoke against the change in city code that petitioners seek. That huge majority that showed up spoke out in favor bike lanes, transit, safety, and “transportation freedom,” Cromer shared. “Those folks came from varying backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities. Meanwhile, the few that spoke in favor of the initiative made no effort to speak about safety, or transportation freedom, but focused purely on why a lane removal would add a few seconds to their commute.”
Justin Wood, a lead petitioner and representative of Save Vancouver Streets, the grassroots group that pushed the initiative, told BikePortland they plan to move forward with a lawsuit. He said their attorney disagrees with the opinion of the City of Vancouver’s attorney and that they believe their proposal is allowable under state law.
“This was a huge success for the city, and for the people of Vancouver. Whether or not you drive, giving people the freedom to choose how they get around is instrumental for combatting traffic, poverty, and safety issues.”
– Jason Cromer, Cycle Vancouver
“We are planning to move forward [with a lawsuit against the city] in large part to honor the work that the people did to collect the signatures.” Wood said he and other Save Vancouver Streets activists are not opposed to bike lanes. “I just don’t think it is being done right,” he said. “And I don’t think the city is doing a good job engaging and educating what they are doing and the value [of what they are doing].”
While Save Vancouver Streets raises money for the upcoming legal battle, urbanists in Vancouver like Jason Cromer are relieved and buoyed by the show of support at city council. “This was a huge success for the city, and for the people of Vancouver. Whether or not you drive, giving people the freedom to choose how they get around is instrumental for combatting traffic, poverty, and safety issues.”
