Victoria gets overshadowed by her big brother to the North. But in our little city (metro population of 340,000) we are building a Bus Rapid Transit system, and doing long-term planning for light rapid transit.

The system will see dedicated bus lanes along the centre of Douglas Street from Herald Street (the old Bay building) to Saanich Road (Town and Country Shopping Centre) along a right-of-way that is actually already owned by Bc Transit.

The scheme will see two lanes on the currently six-lane Douglas Street eliminated for general traffic use, construction of median bus stations along the route and bus-activated traffic lights.

Here the link if you want more information, pictures and presentations (in PDF)

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/transit_priority/default.cfm

When it opens in 2009, all Western Communities, Saanich Peninsula and Sooke suburban buses will route via the busway, providing a frequent headway. Local buses on Douglas Street will continue to operate in traffic.

The alignment is intended to be taken over by lightrail transit at some future date.

Planning is underway to extend the dedicated bus lanes to the Western Communities (along the Trans-Canada Highway) and to the Saanich Peninsula (along the Pat Bay Highway). Future plans call for a third branch eastward to the University of Victoria.

wow....this is awesome! and the BRT will be using the double deckers!

almost every intersection will be traffic signal prioritized, some queue jumpers, and what's even more impressive is the bus lanes will be built in a way to accommodate LRT in the future.

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

I have always wondered how come Douglas has such a wide suicide lane down the middle..now I know...

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/transit_priority/images/small/6b.jpg

But seriously, how the heck do they plan to build BRT all along the highway 1 corridor as shown on the map? I can see them digging into the grass median in the freeway sections, but what about the part before Helmcken? Reduce the general traffic to two lanes? Take over the Galloping Goose trail (God I'll hate that)? Will there also be BRT down Colwood? What about the UVic and Sidney sections? It would be great to see those happen, but I don't know how they can legitimately call it BRT if it's running in street traffic 70% of the way.

Here's more:
http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/transit_priority/images/small/1b.jpg

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/transit_priority/images/small/2b.jpg

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/transit_priority/images/small/3b.jpg

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/transit_priority/images/small/4b.jpg

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/transit_priority/images/small/5b.jpg

...

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

But seriously, how the heck do they plan to build BRT all along the highway 1 corridor as shown on the map? I can see them digging into the grass median in the freeway sections, but what about the part before Helmcken? Reduce the general traffic to two lanes? Take over the Galloping Goose trail (God I'll hate that)? Will there also be BRT down Colwood? What about the UVic and Sidney sections? It would be great to see those happen, but I don't know how they can legitimately call it BRT if it's running in street traffic 70% of the way.

The plan for LRT is to run it along the Galloping Goose - the right-of-way is actually 20 metres, so there's lots of room for twin tracks and a cycle path along the length of it. The buses, we'll - I suspect they'll run on the highway - the current thinking is building HOV lanes. There are currently queue jumpers at the main lights before the freeway starts.

Same goes for the Peninsula - HOV lanes along the Pat Bay Highway. I don't see the population on the peninsula expanding enough to support LRT - it;'s mainly rural and farming. Best chance is to the westshore.

If you don't live in Victoria, the Douglas Street corridor and Highway 1 are extremely congested. In the AM, Highway one is backed up from Admirals Road to Millstream Interchange; in the evening, Douglas can be backed up to downtown. The Pat Bay is better, with the AM traffic heavy but the road can handle it; the PM gets backed up at Haliburton and Sayward (around Elk Lake) quite badly - and we won't talk about Blanshard Street in the afternoons.

Congrats. How long would it be to LRT?

good for victoria. they need it

Victoria's too small to support both, but many think that the existing E&N Railway Line could be used for commuter rail in advance of a light rail system or even instead.

The line is owned and controlled by a consortium of local governments and First Nations; freight and passenger services are contracted out. The track is in need of a lot of investment if it is ever to become a viable transportation corridor.

-------------------
Train, bus, bike, car: How do they stack up?

Journey from Langford to downtown
Bill Cleverley, Times Colonist
Published: Thursday, May 31, 2007

More than 120 passengers on two rail cars sat back and relaxed yesterday morning as they pulled out of the Langford station at 7 a.m. and arrived at the Victoria station 21 minutes later -- part of an experimental trip along the E&N line hailed as a success by politicians and commuter rail advocates.

"What a lovely ride," said Capital Regional District chairwoman Denise Blackwell.

Dubbed the "GreE&Nways train," the trip was organized to push the idea of commuter service on the line, as well as advocate a more environmentally friendly alternative to the hundreds of cars plugging up the roads into the city.

For $10, passengers got a ticket on the train, a newspaper, a cup of coffee and a bus pass good for the day. The Times Colonist used the opportunity to test out how fast and convenient the trip really would be, sending a cyclist, a bus rider and a car driver on similar routes to see who would make it downtown first.

Each commuter started at the Langford train station, and timed how long it took to get to the library at 735 Broughton St. -- chosen as a destination since it's in the centre of the downtown office district.

Reporter Matthew Kruchak, who rode the No. 50 Express bus to Douglas and Fort streets, and then walked the block to the library, arrived first, in 23 minutes.

Books editor Liz Pogue, who drove her Subaru Impreza, arrived second, clocking 23 minutes and a few seconds.

In third were the train commuters at 30 minutes. While the Langford to Victoria run took 21 minutes, it takes about nine more minutes to walk to the library.

In fourth was features writer Joanne Hatherly, who set a personal best time on her bicycle -- clocking in at 34 minutes, 45 seconds despite having tire trouble.

Of course, the purpose of the experiment wasn't limited to the time of the commute. Pogue estimates she spent $1.50 in gas for her car and would have to pay $10 for parking for the day. The bus fare is $3. The bike ride, free.

"The focus was just to show there's another way," said Oak Bay Mayor Christopher Causton who organized the train ride with C4CR (Communities for Commuter Rail).

Causton admits considerable upgrade to the tracks is needed before a commuter rail service could begin, but he says it's a possibility. He envisions a commuter hub in Langford with the rail line as one of the spokes.

Indeed, Blackwell found yesterday's trip convenient. "I live right by the (Langford) station in a condo so I just walked over there. It took me five minutes; got on the train at 7 a.m. and was downtown at 7:21. It was a nice, calm ride."

The only passenger service now offered on the line is the E&N dayliner, which makes a daily trip to Courtenay and back.




© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2007

Sandra McCulloch, Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Putting bus stops on a median along Douglas Street will be a first step in establishing a backbone for a light rapid transit system.

An open house yesterday at Victoria City Hall allowed the public to get the first glimpse of a $6-million plan to realign bus lanes down the centre of Douglas Street.

B.C. Transit heard concerns from people who don't like the idea of crossing a busy street to catch a bus, said spokesman Mike Davis. "That seems to be the most common question ... how do people get out on the road to catch the bus?" Davis said before the open house.

He urges people to think of the median as a "pedestrian refuge" and said marked crosswalks will be part of each mid-street bus stop.

"You're not running out into unprotected traffic any more than you are when you cross the street now," he said.

The location of the bus stop may bring a higher risk to those who run for a bus and aren't careful about looking for traffic, he acknowledged.

"I see people running across Douglas Street, and I guess you can't protect people from stupidity.

"The only easy way to get to the platform is the crosswalk. It's going to be designed to make that as clear as possible."

Carmel Thomson of Saanich attended the open house to see what the impact on Douglas Street might be. "I was wondering why Blanshard Street hadn't been considered. There would be less impact on business and existing buildings.

"I also wondered why they hadn't considered going underground in heavily travelled areas."

Wally Meng, owner of the Red Lion Inn, at the north end of Douglas Street, is concerned that under the plan, northbound traffic won't be able to make a left turn into his business. "Our major customers are coming from the city," he said.

He'd like to see a U-turn system that would allow northbound cars to get back to the inn on the southbound lanes.

Cyclist Bill Birney sat on the advisory panel for the transit plan.

"I like it so far," he said. "Some of the intersections will have cars turning left in front of the buses on controlled signals -- that will be interesting. But it seems to be thought through pretty well."

Images displayed at the open house show two centre-lane bus lanes marked with diamonds. Bus stops are located on fingers of concrete at each side of an intersection. The design features covered shelters and a fence along the rear of each platform, protecting those waiting for the bus from traffic going in the opposite direction.

The new arrangement to be built from Fisgard Street to Saanich Road will be the basis of a more sophisticated rapid-transit system later on, according to B.C. Transit's plan.

"The centre alignment can be converted to rail in the future," said Davis.

"The stations are in the same place, the widths of the lanes are the same as what would be required to put light rail transit in. It's a first step toward a regional vision of rapid transit."

Construction could begin during the winter of 2008 with the launch of service during the summer of 2009.

The $6-million price tag includes $500,000 aimed at improving transit information services.


The open house was designed to get the public's opinions. Feedback was gathered on forms or verbally by transit representatives. Business owners will give their views to transit officials today.

About 90,000 people ride the buses each day in Greater Victoria. The objectives of B.C. Transit are to provide express, limited-stop service into downtown Victoria and reduce car dependency.

The advantages of median bus lanes include no conflict with other traffic at driveways or right-hand turns, a separation between bus and bicycle lanes and faster bus trips.

A disadvantage of the new plan will be elimination of on-street parking along this section of Douglas Street. Vehicles will still be able to make left turns from Douglas onto the cross-streets of Saanich, Cloverdale, Finlayson, Burnside and Hillside.

Details of the plan are available online at www.bctransit.com, click on Victoria and follow the links to "transit priority update."

Details of the proposed busway

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/transit_priority/douglas_street/consultation/pdfs/20080122_douglas_advcomm_mtng.pdf

I love this project it's going to be so much easier to visit my friends in Saanich now!

Some good news coming for residents of the Saanich peninsula and visitors to Victoria who travel by transit from Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal to downtown Victoria.

First, in April 2008, the two zone fare in Greater Victoria will be discontinued and a single zone fare will apply throughout the region - so the coast of travelling from the ferry to Victoria will drop from $3 to $2.25.

Second, in September 2008 massive service increases and route restructuring will see a doubling of transit service to the Saanich Peninsula - and this is good news for visitors travelling by ferry and taking transit. In summary:

1. The No. 70 will rerouted to operate EXPRESS from Swartz Bay to downtown Victoria via ther Pat Bay Highway, calling into downtown Sidney via Beacon Avenue, into the McTavish Park and Ride and into the newly rebuilt Royal Oak Exchange. Buses will run every 30 minutes during the daytime and should drastically cut the travel time from Swartz Bay, Sidney to Victoria.

2. The No 71 is a new PEAK EXPRESS service routing from the north end of Sidney to Victoria via downtown Sidney and west Sidney, Lochside Drive, Royal Oak and express to Victoria. This bus will run every 30 minutes during the peak periods and combined with the 70 will provide a 15 minute peak service from Sidney to Victoria.

3. The No. 72 is essentially the old traditional route of the 70, running from Swartz Bay to Victoria via Sidney local, Lochside, McTavish, Saanichton, Royal Oak to Victoria. This bus will run every 60 minutes day and evening seven days a week.

4. The No. 73 is essentially the old No. 70 via West Sidney route, running from Swartz Bay to Victoria via Sidney local, West Sidney, McTavish, Saanichton, Royal Oak to Victoria. This bus will run every 60 minutes day and evening seven days a week. The 72 and 73 will combine to provide a 30 minute service.

5. The No. 75 will not change, other than increase n frequency. This bus serves Saanichton, Brentwood Bay, Butchart Gardens, Keating X Rd, Royal Oak with some peak trips to and from Victoria depending on demand.

6. The new No. 76 will provide service from Victoria to Royal Oak, Keating X Rd and seasonal extensions to Butchart Gardens. The route will be operated by double-decker buses running every 60 minutes weekdays and on weekends as needed. The route will replace the overload buses currently running on route 75.

7. The No. 77 in North Sidney routing will remain the same (serving Mills X Rd, Deep Cove, Lands End and Sidney Industrial from Sidney), but frequency increased to a bus every 2 hours with commuter connections at Swartz Bay to the express buses to Victoria.

8. The new No. 79 will provide service from Saanichton, through Dean Park, to the Victoria International Airport, West Sidney, Sidney Industrial and downtown Sidney, with buses every 2 hours and every hour in the peak.

9. The No 80 is a renumbered No. 76, providing express service between Swartz Bay ferry terminal and UBC on Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings.

10. The No. 81 will have minor routing changes in Brentwood Bay and in Sidney to expand coverage (serves Swartz Bay, Sidney (now via Bowerbank), West Sidney, Lochside Drive, Saanichton, Brentwood Bay, Butchart Gardens. Frequency will remain at a bus every 2 hours with extras during the peak.

11. The No. 82 will be rerouted in Sidney (run via Lochside instead of West Sidney) and extended from Saanichton to Butchart Gardens via East Saanich Rd, Central Saanich Rd, Keating X Road. Frequency will remain at every 2 hours. The service combines with the 81 to provide hourly services between Saanichton and Sidney via Lochside.

12. The No. 83 will be extended south from Brentwood Bay via West Saanich Road to Camosum college (interurban), Vancouver Island Technology Park and Royal Oak Exchange. Service will be increased to run every 2 hours.

For Swartz Bay:
70 departing every 30 minutes express to Victoria
72 departing every 60 minutes local to Victoria
73 departing every 60 minutes local to Victoria
77 departing every 2 hours local to Sidney
80 departing Sunday evenings (3 trips) express to UVIC
81 departing every 2 hours local to Butchart Garden

For the Victoria International Airport:
79 to Sidney departing every 2 hours to McTavish Park and Ride for connections to express buses to Victoria
79 to Saanichton departing every 2 hours to McTavish Park and Ride for connecitons to express buses to Victoria
83 to Sidney departing every 2 hours to McTavish Park and Ride for connections to express buses to Victoria
83 departing every 2 hours to Royal Oak Exchange for connections to Victoria and elsewhere

This realignment of routes is the beginning phases of the Greater Victoria RapidBus project. once the busway is open in Victoria, all the Peninsula buses will be rerouted. Eventually, RapidBus Stations will be built along the Pat Bay Highway and the local services will feed into them - the new 70/73 service is the start of that RapidBus concept.

There are gaps in the draft plan that BC transit is aware of - such as the apparent lack of any regional service north of Saanichton on Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings - I'm sure this is an error as I can't see no service in these time periods working at all (Sunday is a busy day from transit runs to and from the ferries).

Finally, here's the link to the draft service plan - BC Transit is looking for feedback.

http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/service_plans/saanich_peninsula/20080117_saanichpen_draft.pdf

Looks good, but the headways are still depressingly long.

Looks good, but the headways are still depressingly long.

The Saanich Peninsula is rural, with a few towns and acreage type development, so the service is actually not bad given that.

Sandra McCulloch, Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Putting bus stops on a median along Douglas Street will be a first step in establishing a backbone for a light rapid transit system.


I honestly don't know where this "bus first, then rail" line of thinking came from, but I'd like to suggest to Ms. McCulloch that the first step in establishing a backbone for a LRT system is to LAY SOME F&#KING TRACKS.

Putting a BRT line in only delays the LRT that we need now, and wastes that $$ to boot.

The frequency for this so-called BRT is terrible.....if only the $14-billion transit plan included LRT for Victoria (and btw, the $14-billion plan is actually $12-billion considering that it includes the Canada Line).

I would think a Victoria LRT will cost somewhere around $600-800 million today?

I didn't want to comment on the frequencies earlier, but yeah they aren't very good. I wouldn't consider it "bus rapid transit" more like "bus express transit"

I didn't want to comment on the frequencies earlier, but yeah they aren't very good. I wouldn't consider it "bus rapid transit" more like "bus express transit"

If by frequency you're referring to the combined 70/71 schedule proposed for the Peninsula, then yeah, you're right, it is not a good BRT frequency - more like a rapid express bus.

But, keep in mind that the busway on Douglas will handle not only the Saanich Peninsula expresses, but also the Western Communities. So we'll have

50 Goldstream - currently running every 10 minutes
70 running every 30 minutes
71 running every 30 minutes in the peak

So the headway in the daytime should be every 10 min or better and better than that in the peak

New Democrats support regional transit focus, not Campbell busway
VICTORIA – Today’s decision to shelve plans for the Douglas Street busway and instead develop a regional transit plan is a positive step forward, say the NDP MLAs who have been pushing for such an approach.

“I am very pleased to see the transit commission decide to take a more comprehensive approach,” said Maurine Karagianis, New Democrat transportation critic. “Businesses and residents are straining to see the regional merits of the busway announced by the Campbell government in January."

New Democrats were responding to the decision today by the Greater Victoria Transit Commission to shelve the busway plan and instead develop a detailed plan for the region.

“There are many transit alternatives to the busway idea that would be more beneficial to the region,” said Victoria Hillside MLA Rob Fleming. “The busway is an outdated piecemeal idea dropped by the Campbell government without a comprehensive study, sound business case and without the benefit of adequate public consultation.”

New Democrat leader Carole James and the south island NDP MLAs have been calling on the Campbell government to establish a regional transportation authority as a first step in developing an integrated plan for the region.

How about a streetcar? I think it would fit in Victoria's "small-town" atmosphere, then maybe add commuter rail to outlying areas (I don't know; i've only been to Victoria two or three times)...

Why oppose the bus lanes? The eventual plan is for a streetcar/LRT network.

Why oppose the bus lanes? The eventual plan is for a streetcar/LRT network.

Yeah they were complaining it wasn't LRT earlier X_X" Flip flops...

Shouldn't regional planning be done by the region anyway? It's a municipal/regional responsibility that should be done every 10 years and not a provincial one.

Yeah they were complaining it wasn't LRT earlier X_X" Flip flops...

Shouldn't regional planning be done by the region anyway? It's a municipal/regional responsibility that should be done every 10 years and not a provincial one.

The thing is there's no regional authority in Victoria, and the transit system is operated by BC Transit as you know....directly by the Ministry of Transportation.

I think this busway is a good step, and maybe in 15-20 years we'll have serious talks about LRT along the same busway corridors.

The thing is there's no regional authority in Victoria, and the transit system is operated by BC Transit as you know....directly by the Ministry of Transportation.

I think this busway is a good step, and maybe in 15-20 years we'll have serious talks about LRT along the same busway corridors.

Oh yeah... but then BC Transit did a few plans for the region in the past and all of them pointed to the busway. What Kevin Falcon did is compile a bunch of plans [and made a few new ones] and placed them into one big transportation package. The busway was one of them. I think light-rail posted a map of a few new express buses and many of them would use the busway.

I honestly don't know where this "bus first, then rail" line of thinking came from, but I'd like to suggest to Ms. McCulloch that the first step in establishing a backbone for a LRT system is to LAY SOME F&#KING TRACKS.

Putting a BRT line in only delays the LRT that we need now, and wastes that $$ to boot.

Actually creating BRT is the pre-cursor for LRT. Why would you invest millions of dollars in a LRT line that doesn't have a proven ridership base nor the existing densities to support it. If you implement BRT then you will give yourself 10-20 yrs to improve your land use, increase your ridership and subsequently make your LRT dreams more politically and financially feasible. If you take Vancouver for example the 97, 98, and 99 B-Lines are all BRT esque, but they are also all pre-cursors to LRT (Evergreen, Canada Line, and the UBC-Broadway line). Though different circumstances, these lines all have created very high ridership levels, boosted densities, lessened ppls dependence on the automobile and therefore can make for a seamless transition to LRT, especially if you've already created the necessary ROW's. So don't hate on BRT's, cause in essence they are the best bang for your buck and won't waste huge amounts of taxpayers dollars. But anyways they've quashed this plan anyways for "a regional transit plan", which now means nothing is probably going to get done...We'll see what happens from here. We'll probably be told that the money that was allocated for BRT is no longer available...we'll get nothing and this BRT would've seemed pretty good!

Anyways thats my rant. I just want the best for Victoria, I just want "buddy" to think of how "buses first" can actually be the best option, especially in sleepy little Vic. This ain't Vanny or the T-Dot bro.

Oh but we did get a Cowichan Valley commuter bus....yaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy....hipp hipp hoooorraaaaaayyyy....thanks Falcon

The thing is there's no regional authority in Victoria, and the transit system is operated by BC Transit as you know....directly by the Ministry of Transportation.

I think this busway is a good step, and maybe in 15-20 years we'll have serious talks about LRT along the same busway corridors.

Not quite true - Mr. X. The bus system is regional, but you are correct that there is no regioal authority over the road system. Bc Transit is the funding partner and planning department. The Victoria Regional Transit Commission makes the decisions (made up of politicians from the region served). BC Transit needs to negotiate with The City of Victoria (Douglas Street up to Tolmie Ave), district of Saanich (Tolmie Ave to Saanich Road) and the Ministry of Transportation (Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 14), and Langford for anything on Langford roads.

I'm not sure I understand the debate anyway as BC Transit technically owns the centre two lanes on Douglas Street from Herald Street to Tolmie (Transit owns the right-of-way). This is an old streetcar line that was transferred from the CRD to BC Transit years and years ago in exchange for part of the Goose trail.

Hope they just get on with it.

T-Dot

???

It would be a better use of existing right of way to use the E&N corridor with LRT to around Langford. Large parts of Esquimalt could use the transit oriented development it would induce. Running the LRT along Highway 1 will not induce any TOD at all.

Actually creating BRT is the pre-cursor for LRT. Why would you invest millions of dollars in a LRT line that doesn't have a proven ridership base nor the existing densities to support it. If you implement BRT then you will give yourself 10-20 yrs to improve your land use, increase your ridership and subsequently make your LRT dreams more politically and financially feasible. If you take Vancouver for example the 97, 98, and 99 B-Lines are all BRT esque, but they are also all pre-cursors to LRT (Evergreen, Canada Line, and the UBC-Broadway line). Though different circumstances, these lines all have created very high ridership levels, boosted densities, lessened ppls dependence on the automobile and therefore can make for a seamless transition to LRT, especially if you've already created the necessary ROW's. So don't hate on BRT's, cause in essence they are the best bang for your buck and won't waste huge amounts of taxpayers dollars. But anyways they've quashed this plan anyways for "a regional transit plan", which now means nothing is probably going to get done...We'll see what happens from here. We'll probably be told that the money that was allocated for BRT is no longer available...we'll get nothing and this BRT would've seemed pretty good!

Anyways thats my rant. I just want the best for Victoria, I just want "buddy" to think of how "buses first" can actually be the best option, especially in sleepy little Vic. This ain't Vanny or the T-Dot bro.

Oh but we did get a Cowichan Valley commuter bus....yaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy....hipp hipp hoooorraaaaaayyyy....thanks Falcon

My God why don't people get this? You need to put in LRT BEFORE you build, to shape where density is going to go. The B-Lines in Vancouver have done absolutely nothing to increase density along their routes, even after years in operation. Take the 98 for example. The only densification along its route has been in Richmond City Centre, where the process was already underway long before the B-Line appeared.

99 B-Line has also spurred no significant developments (TODs, etc) Many sources also would dispute that rapid bus is cheaper over the long term.

Rapid Bus does NOTHING to improve densities. People know in the back of their minds that it can be (and is) removed at the whim of politicians, so what developer in his/her right mind would build there?

Putting BRT on Douglas Street will have the exact same effect on density that not putting in BRT will have: absolutely NONE.

Nothing significant will happen until LRT is built.

My God why don't people get this? You need to put in LRT BEFORE you build, to shape where density is going to go. The B-Lines in Vancouver have done absolutely nothing to increase density along their routes, even after years in operation. Take the 98 for example. The only densification along its route has been in Richmond City Centre, where the process was already underway long before the B-Line appeared.

99 B-Line has also spurred no significant developments (TODs, etc) Many sources also would dispute that rapid bus is cheaper over the long term.

Rapid Bus does NOTHING to improve densities. People know in the back of their minds that it can be (and is) removed at the whim of politicians, so what developer in his/her right mind would build there?

Putting BRT on Douglas Street will have the exact same effect on density that not putting in BRT will have: absolutely NONE.

Nothing significant will happen until LRT is built.

The B-lines are not true rapid buses - they're express or limited stop at best. True rapid bus would have its own right-of-way, ticket machines at the stops, all door loading/unloading - in other words, a rubber tyre version of light rail transit.

Ottawa has rapid bus.