Thursday, December 6 ~ VICTORIA / WEST SHORE.
~ West Shore Voice News
The northbound bus priority (HOV) lane is now open on Douglas Street/Highway 1 from Tolmie Avenue in town to the Burnside Bridges out on the highway.
It’s estimated to offer a time-saving to commuters of at least 10 minutes from Fisgard Street in the Victoria core to Tillicum Road during peak travel times, said the Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure (MOTI) on December 5.
Funding for the northbound bus priority lane from Tolmie to the Burnside Bridges was jointly funded by the governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF).
Construction was underway for most of 2018 along that busy section of Douglas Street that bears incoming traffic from the highway (west shore and upisland traffic coming into Victoria) and handles in-town traffic through the industrial and commercial areas along Douglas Street into the downtown core.
In peak travel times, 1,700 vehicles per hour move along Douglas Street.
“Investing in public transit infrastructure is vital to keeping pace with the changing needs of residents and getting them where they need to go more easily,” said François-Philippe Champagne, federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
“Our government is proud to have helped make this new bus lane possible, which will improve travel times and reduce gridlock along this busy corridor today while supporting the growth and development of the city’s public transit network in the years to come,” it was stated by Champgne in a news release December 5.
“I know people are frustrated with increasing congestion from the West Shore to downtown Victoria, adding upwards of an hour on their daily commutes,” said Claire Trevena, BC’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “These new bus lanes will save people valuable time so they are spending less time in traffic and more time at home with their families.”
This new 2.3-km bus priority lane is one of a series of recent investments in improving transit between the West Shore and downtown Victoria, including:
* southbound bus priority lanes between Tolmie Avenue and Fisgard Street, completed in November 2018;
* southbound bus priority lanes between the Burnside Bridges and Tolmie, with construction expected to start in spring 2019; and
* a recently completed study for bus priority lanes and better transit infrastructure along the Island Highway in Colwood and View Royal.
The lane has long been suggested by City of Langford Mayor Stew Young to be also for use by individual passenger vehicles carrying more than one passenger or carpooling.
“The bus priority lanes along Douglas Street and Highway 1 are critical to supporting effective transit services in the Victoria region,” said Erinn Pinkerton, BC Transit president and chief executive officer. “This expansion will allow BC Transit to better connect people and communities so they can spend time doing what they enjoy rather than in traffic.”
The fine for illegal use of a priority bus lane is $109. Police will continue to carry out enforcement and monitoring of the corridor to ensure compliance.
“This latest expansion will reduce congestion for all on this major transit route as they make their way out of the downtown core,” said Susan Brice, Victoria Regional Transit Commission chair. “It’s a significant milestone in keeping the people of Greater Victoria moving in a safe, sustainable and efficient manner.”
The Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) was announced in 2016 and helps support new capital projects in BC Transit-served communities throughout the province.
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