New protected bike lanes have officially opened up to cyclists along Harbour Road in Victoria as the city continues to expand its AAA network.
The two-way bike lanes connect Victoria’s downtown network to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail.
“I know we’ve all been limiting our interactions and sometimes just staying inside our homes to limit the spread of the pandemic,” said Mayor Lisa Helps. “Cycling on our family-friendly network of bike lanes is a terrific way to get outside, get some fresh air and exercise and also get where you need to go safely, affordably and sustainably.”
According to the city, the Harbour Road bike lanes – which opened to the public on Monday – have arrived just in time for the locally-hosted GoByBike week. The event runs from Sept. 28- Oct. 4 and “encourages people of all ages and abilities to bike for transportation,” reads a statement from the City of Victoria.
More bike lanes will be coming for residents of Victoria in the near future as construction is currently underway on the Vancouver, Jackson and Graham Street corridor. The City of Victoria has said that this route features a “shared-road, traffic-calmed design” as well as protected bike lanes. The project, which is slated to be completed in 2021, includes replacement of underground utilities, road paving, traffic signal upgrades, accessibility retrofits, new trees and place-making features along the route to complement the road safety improvements for cyclists and pedestrians.
Victoria officials are also currently working on preliminary designs for the next group of corridors: Oaklands Connector, Fernwood Connector, and Fort Street Central corridors. The City is looking for input from residents, businesses, and commuters that have invested interest in this grouping of corridors.
A survey to provide input on design considerations can be found online at engage.victoria.ca.
Later this fall, the City says that it will roll out full-length designs for each corridor, incorporating the ideas gathered and inviting further comments and feedback on designs from stakeholders and the public.
“When the City’s 32 kilometre AAA network is complete, 95 per cent of residents will live within 500 metres of an AAA cycling route,” says a City of Victoria press release.
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Graham Cox
