Report Card from the Active Transportation Forum

michellekirby — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 05:58:46 +0000

The Community Association of Oak Bay hosted an Active Transportation Forum on November 25th, 2010. At that time, a report card was written on our current status with regard to active transportation options in Oak Bay, and we think you might be interested in our community’s progress, as compared to those around us.

Report Card 2010

CURRENT STATUS:

Does our community have walkable and multi-use pathways?

North-south routes in Oak Bay are few, with limited crosswalks, and no official community plans for improvement;

Foul Bay Avenue, from Fort Street to Lansdowne: 1, 600 metres – 3 crosswalks – 530 metres between crosswalks
North Henderson – 1,100 metres – 3 crosswalks – 360 metres between crosswalks.

Arterial road sidewalks, e.g. north Henderson, Oak Bay Avenue, and Foul Bay Road (Oak Bay Ave to Fort Street) are narrow and do not meet Transportation Association of Canada standards for minimum width

Better connections needed to proposed Neighborhood Learning Centre, the Recreation Centre, all weather field, and proposed Performing Arts Theatre

Oak Bay has committed $1.0 million to Theatre funding

Photos showing experience of walking from Oak Bay Ave. to proposed Neighbourhood Learning Centre, Oak Bay Recreation Centre, Performing Arts Theatre, etc: 2009 – walking through the canyon, 2010 – walking through snow and ice

Municipality of Oak Bay actions November 2009 to 2010:

Various pedestrian/cycling improvement motions were discussed at Council and none approved

A Request for Proposal for active transportation master plan for the municipality is a work in progress of the Community Initiatives Committee

A bike shelter was constructed outside the Greater Victoria Public Library branch and Monterey Centre

Estevan merchants petitioned the municipality to add more bike racks in Estevan village. One bike rack was installed.

Budgets and expenditures, Oak Bay municipality:

OBTAINING EXTERNAL FUNDING:

Oak Bay municipality made two grant application proposals to the Province of BC and the Government of Canada for transportation infrastructure in last 5 years:

Received $54,781 from Local Motion BC for bike lanes on north Henderson Rd and north-east corner of Foul Bay Rd and Lansdowne.

Received $321,000 from Build Canada Fund for repaving 700 metres of Beach Drive, between King George Terrace and Newport Rd.

Source: Municipal Clerk and Province of BC Local Motion Website

OTHER MUNICIPALITIES:

Effective Steps by Other Municipalities:
1. Do the Planning
2. Adopt the Policies
3. Submit the Proposals
4. Receive the Funding
5. Build the Connections to local and regional networks

2010 AND BEYOND
INITIATIVES OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES

A summary of the activities, initiatives and results of other municipalities in Greater Victoria are highlighted below:

Central Saanich – 2010:
Population 16,000
$575,000 Local Motion Grant
Bicycle lanes on both sides of East Saanich Road and separate walking path near Peninsula Recreation Centre
Largest roadway improvement in recent years
Completed September, 2010
Population 16,000
East Saanich Road – 2.7 km from Island View Road to Cultia Ave
Total Cost is $7.0 million
Build Canada Fund pays $4.66 million
2.7 kilometre roadway will provide separate bike lanes, and separate walking trail
Includes sidewalks and bus stops
Completion scheduled for March 2012

View Royal – 2010:
Population: 9000
CRD Travel Choices 2007 – 2011
Island Highway – Admirals to Colwood Interchange – $15.0 million
E&N Rail Trail Project – 11.0 Million
2 photos showing major benefits for all roadway users
View Royal Official Community Plan
Adopted revised OCP on April 1st, 2010
Roads designated a “community resource” for benefit of all users
Neighborhood-wide planning – not each problem in isolation
Pedestrian access and movement to be enhanced
Quantifiable, measurable goals set
10 Year Cycling Action Plan endorsed
Links with neighboring municipalities and
Part of regional network
Bicycle parking, showers, lockers, change rooms.

Saanich – 2010
Population: 109,000
Multiple Use Trail / Roadway
Completed 2010
San Juan Greenway
East to West Connector Route
UVIC to Tyndall Soccer Fields
Shelbourne Street to Lochside Trail
Safe and convenient for pedestrians, students, teams and cyclists
Local Motion Billboard – Total Cost $1.1 million

Langford – 2010
Official Opening of Goldstream Village
Pedestrian and Cycling Friendly
Using Traffic Circle as Key Feature
Reduces overall accidents and reduces pollution
Improves safety for cyclists and pedestrians
Langford received ICBC Grant for $78,000 to pay for new Traffic Circle with Fountain
(Source: Claire Eraut – Oak Bay Resident, Former Deputy Superintendent of Motor Vehicles 1994 – 1998)
No curbs which allows more movement and improved pedestrian safety, Light up crosswalk included in project

Victoria – One Block Away from Oak Bay
Small traffic circles used to reduce speed and avoid accidents
Allenby and Dean intersection
Bike route to Camosun College
Park with children’s play area
Bay Street cross-town route upgrades to Royal Jubilee Hospital

CRD Finishes 5 Year Investment Plan in 2011

Rails to Trails Project: $11.0 million
CRD Ped Cycling Master Plan: $150,000
Esquimalt Craigflower Rd: $8.0 million
View Royal & Island Hwy: $15.0 million

PROVINCIAL FUNDING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE:

Bike BC Cycling Infrastructures Partnerships Program (CIPP)

This cost-shared program to funds new cycling paths and multiple use trails, with a goal to reducing traffic congestion and green house gas emissions. The program has $31 million over three years. Deadline for applications: Sept. 1st, 2010 for this year.

CIPP Funding – North Vancouver

Spirit Trail between Lions Gate Bridge and Sea bus Terminal

Separated bike path $1.25 million for 1.4 km

Kings Mill Park, $750,000 for 1 km. trail.

CIPP Funding – City of Kelowna:

$475,000 to improve corridors in Glenmore and South Kelowna

Multi-use pathway to UBC Okanagan campus, $2.0 million for 1.8 km

Oak Bay Wants to Get Moving!

michellekirby — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:10:47 +0000

Saturday’s Active Transportation Forum: Walking, Cycling, Transit and Public Spaces was a great success! There were nearly 50 participants, and it was a very engaging, energizing session!

The agenda covered many aspects of active transportation in Oak Bay. We learned about the CRD Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan, Complete Streets and Other Inspirational Ideas, the Oak Bay Master Cycling Plan, Safer Routes for Willows and Monterey Schools, Imaginative Ideas from Other Cities, Imaginative Ideas for Oak Bay, and the New Oak Bay High School as a Community Space.

The audience came with lots of input and ideas to share. These are some of the creative ideas shared after the morning presentations:

Support for recreational cycling (accessibility to Willows and Uplands Parks)

Simple solutions to pedestrian safety and accessibility, such as curb bulges, which narrow the pedestrian crossing, narrows the road which forces cars to slow down.

Traffic calming (i.e. parked cars)

Oak Bay regional access and connection to Lochside Trail by way of the Bowker Creek Greenway

‘No car’ day and associated activities (an idea from Brazil), which could work on Oak Bay Avenue

Runnymeade/Mt. Joy/Central Ave needs improved walking access throughout the area

Oak Bay needs to design pedestrian bulges appropriately

Enforce parking on property

Timed crossing signals

Interrupt vehicle corridors by use of diversions and cut-throughs to facilitate increased cycle traffic

Partner with businesses to supply more bike racks

We spent the afternoon hearing about the Oak Bay High School rebuild project, and the opportunities this will bring to improve pedestrian, cycling, and public spaces in and around the school.

Some ideas that came from the New Oak Bay High School group discussion session are:

Oak Bay High as a Community Hub where the paths and walkways are improved to encourage walking and cycling to and from the school, Recreation Centre, and the Village

Educational Corridor: A cycling/pedestrian only street or trail that connects UVic to Willows School, to Oak Bay High, to Monterey Middle School!

Planning for, and accommodating all modes of travel, including skateboards, and the addition of smaller transit lines, during the construction of the high school, and well into the future

Bowker Creek Greenway should include a pathway that allows cyclists to follow the whole way (no stairs)

Add Community Gardens along Bowker Creek at the high school for students to access or maintain as a learning resource

Widen all sidewalks around schools, and bury power lines, as many power poles are currently in the middle of the sidewalk

As you can see, we had some really inspirational discussion that requires some work to get us moving in Oak Bay! Keep watching here to see how you can contribute, or get involved in the Action Plan. If you have ideas to share, please feel free to comment, or start a discussion on our Forum.

We had some good media coverage by the Times Colonist, as you can see here.

The Oak Bay Connector » Community Planning

Report Card from the Active Transportation Forum

Oak Bay Wants to Get Moving!