Residents Invited to Provide Input on New Cycling Network

November 25, 2015

Residents and community members are invited to participate in three upcoming #BIKETORIA Salons taking place in neighbourhoods in Victoria from Tuesday, December 1 to Thursday, December 3. The open house style salons will provide an opportunity to continue the conversation about the proposed network of new protected bike lanes designed to encourage people of all ages and abilities to cycle in Victoria.  

More than 1,700 people have already provided feedback through an online survey and more than 400 people participated in #Biketoria events and pop-up bike lanes in areas where new bike lanes are proposed. An additional 1,200 interactions about the proposed network have occurred through social media. 78% of survey respondents indicated that the proposed network will take them where they want to go and 70% indicated that they will cycle more if the proposed network is built.

The proposed network includes four north to south corridors and four east to west corridors, connecting people on bikes with neighbourhoods across Victoria.

North to South cycling corridors:

  •   Harbour Road / Wharf Street / Belleville Street
  •   Government Street / Gorge Road
  •   Cook Street / Graham and Fifth Streets
  •   Begbie Street / Shelbourne Street

 

East to West cycling corridors:

  •   Pandora Avenue / Oak Bay Avenue
  •   Humboldt Street / Fairfield Road
  •   Fort Street
  •   Haultain Street / Bay Street & Kings Road

 

During the #BIKETORIA salons, residents will be able to see concepts of what the new cycling lanes could look like and share feedback on the design, style, and potential impacts of the project in each neighbourhood. Each open house event will focus on the impacts and opportunities within specific neighbourhood areas.

James Bay, Fairfield, Rockland, Gonzales, North/South Jubilee

Tuesday, December 1 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Cook Street Village Association Activity Centre (380 Cook Street)

North Park, Harris Green, Fernwood, Oaklands, Hillside/Quadra

Wednesday,December 2 from 6 p.m.to 8 p.m. at Caffe Fantastico (965 Kings Road)

Victoria West, Downtown Victoria, Burnside/Gorge 

Thursday, December 3, from 6 p.m.to 8 p.m. at Habit Coffee (552 Pandora Avenue)

Registration is not required to participate. In January, additional meetings will be held with neighbourhood associations to identify key concerns and explore where additional consultation may be needed. All feedback received from the community will inform the final designs for the new cycling network which will be presented to Council in February 2016.

The recommended new bike network for all ages and abilities positions Victoria as a world leader in cycling infrastructure. A team of internationally renowned cycling experts has analyzed the City’s existing infrastructure and policies to recommend a network will be within 400 metres of every school and almost half of all Victoria residences.

In 2015, City Council dedicated $7.75 million to advance cycling and pedestrian improvements over the next four years.

More information about the recommended network is available at Victoria.ca/cycling.