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Vancouver’s largest bike ride rolls through the streets Saturday night

Road closures aplenty as more than 5,000 cyclists expected at Bike the Night
bikenight
Complete with costumes, music, glowing lights and other things that resemble a rave, Bike the Night is expected to attract a colourful crowd.

If there was ever an event destined to grind Coalition Vancouver mayoral candidate Wai Young’s gears, this one is it.

More than 5,000 people are expected to participate in HUB Cycling’s annual Bike the Night event Saturday night, and road closures aplenty are scheduled throughout downtown and the West Side. Those closures will surely be of interest to Young, a staunch bike lane opponent.

Complete with costumes, music, glowing lights and other things that resemble a rave, the event begins with a pre-party 6 p.m.

Billed as a “slow roll” through the city, it’s meant for cyclists of all ages and abilities, who are encouraged to wear costumes and decorate their bikes with lights. It’s designed to help people become more comfortable with riding at night since one of the known barriers to cycling is a fear of travelling on the streets after it gets dark.

There will be free snacks, bike repairs and giveaways, before the 10-kilometre jaunt kicks off at Concord Pacific Place. 

The biker madness continues along routes close to False Creek, Granville Island and the Burrard Bridge.

Soccer fans headed to the Whitecaps game Saturday night, or anyone else headed downtown for that matter, would do well to heed this complete list of road closures and times:

Pacific Boulevard (Griffiths Way to Quebec Avenue) – 7:15 to 8:30 p.m.

Quebec Street (East First Avenue to Keefer Street) – 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. Resident access will be maintained via controlled crossing on Manitoba Street.

West First Avenue (Quebec Street to Cambie Bridge) – 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. Westbound lanes only, access to the Athlete’s Village will be maintained via Manitoba Street.

West Sixth Avenue (Ash Street to Alder Crossing) – 7:30 to 9 p.m. Westbound lanes only, resident access will be maintained via Moberley Road crossing.

Lamey’s Mill Road (Alder Crossing to Anderson Street) — 7:45 to 9:30 p.m.

West Second Avenue (Anderson to Cypress streets)  – 7:45 to 9:30 p.m. Granville Island access will be maintained with Anderson Crossing and resident access will be maintained via the Fir Street crossing.

West First Avenue (Maple to Cypress streets) – 7:45 to 9:30 p.m.

York Avenue (Arbutus to Chestnut street) – 7:45 to 9:30 p.m.

Maple Street (Cornwall to West First Avenue) – 7:45 to 9:30 p.m.

Cornwall Avenue (Burrard to Arbutus streets) – 7:45 to 9:30 p.m.

Burrard Bridge – 7:15 to 9:30 p.m.

Pacific Boulevard (Nelson to Burrard streets) – 7:45 to 9:30 p.m. Resident access will be maintained via controlled crossing on Davie Street and Beach Avenue.

A map detailing the routing and closures is here.

Registration costs to take part in this rolling, continuous traffic snarl range between $10 and $50. Kids 16 and under ride for free.

Details at bikehub.ca/bike-events/bike-the-night-presented-by-mec.