Friday February 27, 2026| ESQUIMALT, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
“We want to make Esquimalt Road more comfortable, accessible, and better connected for people of all ages and abilities, in alignment with the Township’s Active Transportation Network Plan,” says Township of Esquimalt Director of Engineering Joel Clary in a municipal news release this week.
“We’re pairing these improvements with utility and pavement rehabilitation to save on costs, minimize future disruptions, and streamline construction work.”
Phase 2 will improve access to important community destinations, including the Esquimalt Recreation Centre, CFB Esquimalt and homes west of Admirals. The project will also upgrade safety and access at key intersections and crossings.
Phases 1 & 2:
Phase 1 looked at the Esquimalt Road AAA Bike Lanes and Underground Utilities Project between Lampson Street and Dominion Road nearing completion, the Township of Esquimalt is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of Phase 2 along Esquimalt Road between Lampson Street and Fraser Street, and between Admirals Road and Canteen Road.
Building on previous public engagement, Phase 2 will focus on enhancing comfort, accessibility, and reliability for those traveling along the corridor—whether walking, rolling, cycling, or driving—while upgrading aging underground infrastructure.
Phase 2 Improvements:
the improvements targeted for Phase 2 include:
- Quick-build protected and buffered bike lanes, with designs varying along the corridor
- New pedestrian- and cyclist-activated flashing lights at select crossings
- New center two-way left-turn lanes west of Sturdee Street
- Traffic signal and street lighting upgrades at key locations
- Pavement rehabilitation
- Sanitary, storm, and water utility upgrades
Parking:
In terms of parking, township staff looked at existing parking types, how spaces are used and conditions of nearby streets to identify opportunities to shift the parking supply and increase turnover.
This is to account for parking losses along parts of Esquimalt Road. While a total of 69 on-street parking stalls are proposed to be removed along Esquimalt Road (between Admirals Road and Canteen Road, and between Fraser Street and Lampson Street), 56 new on-street parking spaces were added in fall 2025 on nearby residential streets in the town centre between Constance Avenue and Fraser Street. These parking spaces are all located within a 5-minute walk of the Esquimalt Road core.
$4 million budget:
The current amount budgeted for Phase 2 of the project is $4.0 million. That includes $3.5 million of capital budget as well as $500,000 from development contributions.
Paving accounts for 43% of the costs, utility upgrades at 22%, crossings and signals at 20%, bike infrastructure at 9% and pedestrian improvements at 6%.
Public feedback:
Community input will help shape the final design for Phase 2 and ensure the project reflects local priorities and needs.
Residents and community members are encouraged to learn more and share feedback on Phase 2:
- Review the full project description and display boards to learn more about costs, infrastructure upgrades, road paving, and other project details.
- Complete the short online survey available on the project page, including feedback on sections west of Admirals Avenue. Hard copies of the survey are also available at Esquimalt Municipal Hall (1229 Esquimalt Road), Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, open now to April 5, 2026.
- Attend the public open house on Tuesday March 31 from 3 to 7 pm at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre.
- For more information, visit EngagingEsquimalt.ca/EsquimaltRoad or contact Esquimalt Engineering at eng@esquimalt.ca or 250-414-7108 with your questions.
Construction starting summer 2026:
Survey results will be presented to council this spring with the aim of beginning construction this summer.
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NEWS SECTIONS: ESQUIMALT | TRAFFIC- GREATER VICTORIA AREA | TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION