Esquimalt, Township of

Published purpose

The Township of Esquimalt aims to help construct 500m of protected bike lanes, one new pedestrian crossing, and signal upgrades to accommodate bikes. The project will take place on Tillicum Road between Craigflower Road and the Gorge Bridge, which is an important commuter corridor for the residents of Esquimalt and Saanich, alongside other municipalities in Greater Victoria, British Columbia. The proposed project will remove one lane of vehicle traffic to accommodate 500m of protected bike lanes. The bike lanes will be at least 1.5m wide with a 0.15m buffer from vehicle lanes and installed within existing curb, which is the constrained minimum. Installing the bike lanes requires Esquimalt to upgrade the Tillicum-Craigflower signal. Community engagements during the planning process strongly highlighted the need for an additional pedestrian crossing signal between Craigflower and the Gorge Bridge. The Township of Esquimalt is considering a new traffic signal to meet the needs identified by our community. Lastly, the Township plans to reduce speed limit from 50km to 40km along Tillicum. The main benefit is to address community identified safety concerns on Tillicum Road by providing protected bike facilities and a new signalized pedestrian crossing.