Trail Network Plans
Wheel Life column - 3 April, 1999
by Todd Litman and Suzanne Kort - Victoria Transport Policy Institute

Imagine being able to bicycle, skate and walk around our region on a comprehensive trail network separated from the roadway. It's an attractive prospect, especially for families with children, or people who want pleasant exercise away from motor vehicle traffic.

Unfortunately, there are significant challenges to developing a trail system in built-up urban areas. Many roads and bridges were built with little consideration for non-motorized travel. It is difficult and expensive to retrofit them now. One of the biggest problems is getting across the Johnson Street Bridge between downtown Victoria and the Galloping Goose Trail. There are currently three options:

1. Ride in the traffic lane, just like any vehicle. There are "Do not pass cyclists" signs on both sides of the bridge to remind drivers that cyclists have a right to take the lane. If you look down below the metal grid decking you'll see green ocean water and marine traffic underneath your wheels. You may find it fun, once you become accustomed to the feeling of bicycling on air.
2. Ride on the wood planks on the railroad track side of the bridge. This is popular with both pedestrians and cyclists, although it is scary, technically illegal, and you should listen for train traffic.
3. The third option is to walk your bike on the sidewalk along the south side of the bridge. The sidewalk is narrow and often crowded, so be courteous to pedestrians.

None of these options is ideal, and solving this bottleneck is one of the top priorities for completing the tail network. "The city is exploring options with the railway to use the rail corridor for a multi-use path," explained city Transport Technician, David Sparanese.

The city of Victoria recently completed trail improvements just west of the Johnson Street Bridge, which make it easier to access the trail system. After crossing the bridge on the roadway, cyclists can bear right onto the Ocean Pointe Resort access road, then turn right onto a new path which crosses the railway tracks. This trail connects with the south end of Harbour Road and eliminates the need to ride under the railroad bridge.

Additional improvements will be implemented during the next two months. The City will add bike lanes and widen the sidewalk on Harbour Road. The will also pave the trail from the north end of Harbour Road to where it passes under the Bay Street Bridge. These projects should be finished by Bike to Work Week, May 31 to June 4.

There is no doubt that our trail system is popular. According to counts taken during the second week in March, trail traffic on the Galloping Goose Switch Bridge over Highway 1 averaged about 800 users per weekday (including cyclists, pedestrians and skaters). This is respectable considering it was a wet, miserable week. Traffic should increase considerably as the weather improves. We'll report future traffic counts when they are available.

There are also trail improvements being planned in Saanich. The City recently received permission to rebuild the trestle across Blenkinsop Lake. It is uncertain whether this project can begin this year, since it still needs to complete an engineering assessment and develop funding. When complete, this will be a major step toward connecting Galloping Goose and Lochside trails, allowing cyclists to ride trails from Sooke to Sidney.

But simply having trails is not enough if you can't get across the streets. During the last month, our family has cycled on the Galloping Goose through the Western Communities. There are some lovely stretches of trail, but many of the road crossings are awful, with high-speed traffic, poor sight lines and not even a crosswalk.

We had a difficult time around the Old Island Highway, which has all of the ugly features of automobile oriented, strip development. Adult cyclists may find it simply unpleasant, but for families with children, and elderly trail users, it is downright dangerous. View Royal, Langford and Colwood will have to do better if they want a transportation system that accommodates non-motorized transportation.