“I know people are fed up with the congestion during their morning and afternoon commutes. These priority bus lanes should save time for people taking the bus,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claire Trevena. “These communities continue to be among the fastest growing in Canada, and we are doing everything we can to encourage people to get out of their cars and take transit.”
The priority lanes, an infrastructure project designed in partnership with the City of Victoria, will shorten travel times for passengers, increase the reliability of public transit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Encouraging more transit use will also lower the number of vehicles on the road, helping to reduce congestion. The Douglas Street corridor currently supports as many as 1,700 vehicles per hour during peak travel times.
“I am so pleased to see this expansion become a reality,” said Victoria Regional Transit Commission Chair Susan Brice. “Douglas Street is an essential corridor for transit services and these bus priority lanes will surely help us to better serve our customers.”
The project is funded by the Province of BC and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission. Construction on this latest southbound expansion includes concrete and asphalt paving, sidewalk improvements, new line painting and new signal infrastructure. Boulevard restoration and enhancements, including tree and vegetation replacement, will follow.
“We’re excited to open this new section of dedicated lanes as they will help untether passengers from congestion so they can spend more time doing what they love, rather than being stuck in traffic,” said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps. “We are focused on taking steps to position transit as the first choice in regional mobility, in order to give our community high quality options that allow people to move seamlessly, affordably and sustainably across our communities.”
The priority lanes are meant for buses, including those run by BC Transit and private tour companies. Motorists are allowed to enter the priority bus lanes only if making a right hand turn within the block.
Bus priority lanes will operate as follows:
- Northbound:
24/7 between Pembroke Street and Tolmie Avenue
3-6 p.m. only between Fisgard Street and Pembroke Street
- Southbound:
24/7 between Tolmie Avenue and Kings Road
6-9 a.m. only between Kings Road and Fisgard Street
The fine for being in a priority bus lane is $109. The Victoria City Police will engage in an active education campaign in the coming weeks.
“The Douglas bus lanes expansion moves us one step closer towards our goal of connecting our customers with their communities more efficiently, while promoting sustainable transportation,” said Erinn Pinkerton, BC Transit President and Chief Executive Officer. “I thank all of our partners who have worked collaboratively on this important project.”
The first phase of the bus priority lanes was implemented in Victoria in 2014. As of December 2018, the bus priority lanes will be expanded northbound on Douglas Street from Tolmie Avenue to the Burnside Bridges just north of Tillicum Road, with funding from the Government of Canada and the Province of BC.
A study is also underway for bus priority lanes and transit infrastructure along the Island Highway with the Town of View Royal and City of Colwood. This is all part of a comprehensive 25-year strategy to better connect downtown Victoria with the West Shore, as outlined in the Victoria Transit Future Plan.
For more information on the Douglas corridor project please visit the Victoria Regional Bus Lane Project web page.
Detailed map attached
Media Contact
BC Transit
Shellene McConnell
Senior Communications and Engagement Advisor
250-995-5763
