VICTORIA -- Significant changes are underway on Harbour Road near downtown Victoria as part of the city’s growing bike lane network.
A large section of the road is being converted into a two-way protected bike lane. Previously, there were two separate, unprotected bike lanes on the road, each heading in different directions.
Now, city workers are constructing a two-way bike lane which will be protected from vehicles by a barrier. The new bike lane will stretch 470 metres long and is located on the east, or waterfront, side of the street.
The city says there will be no impact to on-street parking or vehicle circulation on the street because of the new bike path.
Once complete, the two-way bike lane will connect the Galloping Goose Trail to the Johnson Street Bridge.
“This fills a critical gap in the regional cycling network creating a continuous all ages and abilities route from downtown Victoria north to Land's End Road at the tip of the Saanich Peninsula and west to Sooke via the Galloping Goose Regional Trail,” says the city on its website.
Earlier this year, the B.C. government announced funding for several active transportation projects across the province.
The Harbour Road bike path was one of six projects that was approved for provincial funding in the Capital Regional District. The province gave $401,250 to the city to help with construction costs.
Construction of the new protected bike lane is expected to complete this winter.
