Construction on extending priority bus and bike lanes southbound on Douglas Street in Victoria is set to start early next week.
The extended lanes will reach from Tolmie Avenue to Hillside Avenue.
“People who live and work in the Capital Regional District are understandably frustrated with mounting traffic congestion along the busy Douglas Street corridor,” said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena.
“With Douglas Street seeing 1,700 vehicles per hour at peak times, these bus and bicycle lanes should encourage more people to leave their cars at home and choose a greener, more convenient option.”
Construction will include concrete and asphalt paving, sidewalk and boulevard restoration and improvements, tree and vegetation replacement, new line painting and new signal infrastructure.
BC Transit says the lanes are an infrastructure project designed in partnership with the City of Victoria to shorten travel times for passengers, increase the reliability of public transit, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
“It is exciting to see the continuation of the bus priority lane project implementation along the Douglas Street corridor,” said Victoria Regional Transit Commission Chair Susan Brice.
The project is funded by the Province and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission.
The City of Victoria is managing the construction contract process.
“This is the first step towards a rapid transit system that connects the downtown to the entire region,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps.
BC Transit says the bus priority lanes are meant for buses, including those run by BC Transit and private tour companies and cyclists.
Once the construction of the new lanes is complete, the bus priority lanes will be in effect 24 hours a day in both directions on Douglas between Fisgard and Tolmie.
Construction on this latest extension is expected to be completed by the fall.
Ben O'Hara
