Active Transportation Plan

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The proposed Active Transportation Plan is now live! View the North Saanich Proposed Active Transportation Plan under Documents.

This high-level plan, developed through two rounds of public engagement, provides guidance to staff for advancing active transportation initiatives. Major improvement projects identified in the plan may require further technical study, detailed design and public engagement.

Council reviewed and endorsed the plan in principle on Monday, March 29. Council directed staff to make changes to the plan in response to public feedback and bring the plan back to Council for approval.


About The Plan

What is active transportation? Active transportation is any way of travelling using your own power to get from one place to another. This includes walking, wheel chairing, cycling, or rolling by other means.


What is the Active Transportation Plan? The Active Transportation Plan identifies how to improve roads and trails to make it easier and safer for people to walk and cycle in North Saanich. It is a high-level plan that provides guidance to staff for advancing active transportation initiatives. Major improvement projects identified in the plan will require further technical study, detailed design and public engagement.


Why are we creating the plan? To make it easy and safe to travel by active transportation:

  • improves community health and well-being
  • can reduce congestion and transportation-related emissions
  • is more affordable for more people and that money can be spent in other ways in the community


PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

The first phase of engagement was held during July and August 2020. 283 completed the survey based on the four broad themes of transportation equity, health and transportation, traffic and road safety, and places and infrastructure.


The second phase of engagement was held during January and February 2021. A draft Active Transportation Plan was presented for feedback. Approximately 25 people attended the virtual Q&A session. 383 people completed the draft Active Transportation Plan survey that allowed people to select preferred options and identify priorities.


The proposed Active Transportation Plan is now live! View the North Saanich Proposed Active Transportation Plan under Documents.

This high-level plan, developed through two rounds of public engagement, provides guidance to staff for advancing active transportation initiatives. Major improvement projects identified in the plan may require further technical study, detailed design and public engagement.

Council reviewed and endorsed the plan in principle on Monday, March 29. Council directed staff to make changes to the plan in response to public feedback and bring the plan back to Council for approval.


About The Plan

What is active transportation? Active transportation is any way of travelling using your own power to get from one place to another. This includes walking, wheel chairing, cycling, or rolling by other means.


What is the Active Transportation Plan? The Active Transportation Plan identifies how to improve roads and trails to make it easier and safer for people to walk and cycle in North Saanich. It is a high-level plan that provides guidance to staff for advancing active transportation initiatives. Major improvement projects identified in the plan will require further technical study, detailed design and public engagement.


Why are we creating the plan? To make it easy and safe to travel by active transportation:

  • improves community health and well-being
  • can reduce congestion and transportation-related emissions
  • is more affordable for more people and that money can be spent in other ways in the community


PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

The first phase of engagement was held during July and August 2020. 283 completed the survey based on the four broad themes of transportation equity, health and transportation, traffic and road safety, and places and infrastructure.


The second phase of engagement was held during January and February 2021. A draft Active Transportation Plan was presented for feedback. Approximately 25 people attended the virtual Q&A session. 383 people completed the draft Active Transportation Plan survey that allowed people to select preferred options and identify priorities.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
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    The OCP process indicates a strong desire by the community to maintain its rural nature and to minimize environmental stress on the community. Why would we replace trees and brush along Tatlow and Lands End Rd with a paved bike path? Why would we pave paradise?

    David asked 2 months ago

    Thank you for the feedback. It will be shared with the project team. If you are interested in tree protection, we are currently updating the District's tree protection bylaw. Please sign up to follow the project for the next engagement opportunity.

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    Who is paying for all of these upgrades, and what is the estimate cost?

    sue_ferguson asked 3 months ago

    Thank you for the question. The intent of this plan is to identify where active transportation facilities or upgrades may be built over a 20-year time period. It is a successor to the District's previous Cycling Network Plan that was constructed over a 12-year period. Estimates of costs for the work will be provided with the final report based on site visits and comparisons to similar projects. The plan will prioritize the projects based on public feedback and benefit to the network as a whole. The plan will not recommend any budget increases.

    Projects will be brought forward through the capital budget process and will be paid for using existing allocated funds. Provincial and federal grants for active transportation infrastructure are expected to be available to aid in funding these projects. As an example, the recent completion of shoulder bike lanes on West Saanich Road over multiple phases successfully used existing budget and grant funding. The work may also be combined with other infrastructure projects for efficiencies.

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    More a comment than a question. I did the survey but hit submit at the end before adding something in my final comments. I was very concerned when I saw that Advisory Shoulders were under consideration. Having driven on Humboldt in Victoria, I can say without reservation that I despise them. With an older than average demographic, I believe they would not be a good addition to our district. At least Humboldt has sidewalks on both sides of the road so vehicles are only competing with bikes, not pedestrians too. And Humboldt also has streetlights. Even so, Humboldt is awful to drive. Please no. Please.

    Resident 4decades asked 3 months ago

    Thanks for your feedback

    The Humboldt example is a bit different than most other installations of this type because it's located in an urban centre. Advisory shoulders were intended to be a solution to allocate space for active transportation and reduce priority for vehicles in rural areas where widening was not feasible. They are supposed to make driving less comfortable, to make drivers choose an alternative route, and to make them travel more slowly to increase safety for people walking and cycling. 

    The proposed configuration for Tatlow would also include speed humps to slow traffic down. The end goal is to reduce traffic volumes and speeds to a level that is comfortable for people walking or cycling, and for vehicle traffic to stay on Wain Road and West Saanich Road unless they need to use Tatlow for access.

    These suggested measures will undergo a rigorous engineering review if/when they are being implemented. Current standards and best practices will be applied to ensure the facility installed is safe for all users.  

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    There is absolutely no representation whatsoever for the horse community in this questionnaire. Please keep in mind the area residents that pay enormous taxes for the joy of living and riding in North Saanich.

    JT asked 3 months ago

    Thanks for the comment. While the active transportation plan addresses walking and cycling, all road users, including equestrians are invited to participate in the discussion of the plan. 

    Equestrians are allowed to use roadways, shoulders, multi-use paths and bike lanes. This plan does not change that right.

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    I'm a heavy e-bike user in N. Saanich and use it for most of my trips in Sidney, Saanichton, Brentwood, and all around North Saanich. Have you considered parking and charging for e-bikes in the Sidney? People coming from Victoria and the Peninsula with e-bikes would use the facilities on day trips to North Saanich on day trips.

    John K asked 3 months ago

    Thank you for the question. The District does not currently have a plan to provide parking and charging for e-bikes in North Saanich. Please note that Sidney is a different jurisdiction. 

    While your suggestion has been noted, we encourage you to complete the survey to provide your feedback.