With active transportation identified as a clear priority of the community and Council, the District is set to implement a series of projects in 2023 that will continue to support and encourage alternative modes of transportation and make our roadways safe and efficient for all users.
Priorities for 2023 include:
- Saanich Cross Road Sidewalk. A sidewalk will be installed from East Saanich to Central Saanich roads in 2023.
- Conceptual design: Central Saanich Pathway Connection (from Mt Newton going south). Designs are in the works and the public will be invited to provide input in early Spring, with construction planned for 2024 pending funding.
- Conceptual design: Wallace Drive Bike Lane (from West Saanich to Stelly’s Cross Road). The most requested project by the community, this bike lane will provide a route from Brentwood to Saanichton. Conceptual design will begin in 2023, with construction expected start by the end of the year. Construction will coincide with a sewer replacement project along the route.
- Conceptual design: Mt. Newton Pathway (from Pat Bay highway to Saanichton). Another high priority of the Active Transportation Plan, conceptual designs are already underway. Public consultation will take place in the early Spring, with construction expected in 2024 pending funding.
- Conceptual design: Saanichton Village Bike Lane and Sidewalk Improvements. Conceptual design phase to being this year, with construction in 2024.
- Annual bus stop upgrades. In partnership with BC Transit, the District typically improves or installs two or more bus shelters, which are determined based on ridership and other factors.
- Wayfinding signage. Central Saanich will be adopting a plan to improve signage to help cyclists and pedestrians navigate the District easily and safely.
The projects are a continuation of implementing the Active Transportation Plan, adopted by Council in 2021. As part of that process, the District received over 600 suggestions from the public, stakeholders, and subject matter experts on how to improve our transportation network. From those suggestions, a long list of projects was assessed to determine the greatest priorities, based on community feedback, anticipated use, cost, network gaps, safety needs, and other factors.
Residents also identified improving active transportation infrastructure as one of the most important issues facing the community during the 2019 Community Satisfaction Survey, while increasing cycling in the District is a key strategy of the Climate Leadership Plan. Currently, transportation accounts for two thirds of total community greenhouse gas emissions, with vehicles identified as the biggest contributor.
In just its first year of implementing the plan, the District completed three projects in 2022: the Keating school zone, the Brentwood school zone, and the Benvenuto pathway. To support this work, the District secured over $800,000 in grant funding and began collecting a portion of taxes earmarked for active transportation infrastructure. This year’s projects will also be funded by a combination of grants and District funding.
Information on public consultation opportunities will be updated regularly on the District’s website and social media. For general updates on these and other active transportation initiatives, please visit CentralSaanich.ca/ActiveTransportation.
Residents interested in what else the municipality has in store for 2023 are encouraged to read the District’s Draft 2023 Financial Plan. This important plan lays out the projects ahead as well as the budget. Read the plan and complete the survey at: LetsTalkCentralSaanich.ca/Budget2023.