The Richmond Night Market is an annual summer attraction in the City of Richmond, where food and merchandise vendors gather in a large open market to serve the general public. The peak attendance for the event can reach 14,000 visitors in a single night and it has been recognized as one of the largest night markets in North America.
In 2012, Binnie was enlisted to prepare a traffic and parking assessment of the 18-acre site in order to minimize negative impacts to the adjacent residents and businesses – namely the River Rock Casino Resort owned and operated by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation. Binnie worked closely with the event organizer and City of Richmond staff in both the engineering and planning departments to identify key traffic, parking, and access issues that needed to be addressed prior to receiving approval from staff and council for the event to proceed. Binnie analyzed the seasonal variations in vehicular and pedestrian traffic volumes on the nearby road network, as well as a comprehensive study of off-street and on-street parking demand and inventory in order to develop strategies to minimize disturbance to the adjacent businesses. In addition, the proposed parking lot layout was reviewed to ensure efficient traffic flows could be achieved at the entry point to address queuing on the approach to the site.
Binnie was engaged in extensive consultation with the municipal staff, representatives from the casino, council, mayor, event stakeholders, and the general public during the permit approval process. Binnie prepared a traffic management plan to address the potential negative traffic impacts during the event and liaised with MOTI staff to incorporate special timing plans to facilitate traffic flows during the event. As the event is located next to the Canada Line Bridgeport Station, Binnie worked with the event organizer to develop a communications plan to encourage visitors to travel by public transit.
The event was ultimately approved by the council and municipal staff based on the recommendations made in Binnie’s traffic and parking assessment.
