The new bike lanes will be a two-way protected path, like the one on Pandora Avenue, seen above. File photo.
Construction on the new Fort Street bike lanes in Victoria is set to begin next week.
According to the city, work on the two-way protected lanes starts on Sept. 25. Brunnell Construction, the same Vancouver Island-based company that built the Pandora Avenue protected bike lanes, is doing the work for $2,825,684.
The lanes will be built on the north side of Fort Street from Wharf Street to Cook Street. As part of the project, the city will also be enhancing crosswalks and sidewalks, adding new street trees and benches, putting in accessibility enhancements and upgrading underground utilities.
The city said the new bike network will increase safety for cyclists, pedestrians, motorists and transit riders as it is an improvement from the traditional, painted bike lanes. The design for the Fort Street bike lanes includes dedicated traffic signals. Ninety-five per cent of on-street parking will remain.
The city will be upgrading water mains, as well as sewer and storm drains, during the first phase of the project. Crews will also be replacing manholes.
Construction of the new protected bike lanes is expected to be finished by May 2018. While construction is underway, there will be temporary changes to bus stop locations and on-street parking, as well as reduced travel lanes at certain times. Pedestrians may be temporarily rerouted while the sidewalk is replaced. The city said there will always be local access to homes and businesses.
Crews will also be limiting work in November and December to accommodate holiday shoppers.
This is the second of five bicycle lanes that will be installed in the city before the end of 2018.
Alexa Huffman
