Draft Resolution: Change the focus - Island Highway
Proposed resolution to rename the road and reduce speed limits on Island Highway.
Change the focus - Island Highway – from Commuter to Community Village
Whereas
- Many major regional roads have been drastically altered to achieve calmer, slower, safer routes for active transportation modes
- BEFORE the TCH, Island Highway was part of the “Victoria highway” network. From old Douglas / Hillside roundabout, the Gorge Road, “Island Highway”, Goldstream Road to the Malahat.
- Province had discontinued its need and responsibility for this “highway” by downloading the road and all costs to the town around 1997
- The TransCanada Highway has the McKenzie Interchange investment and coming dedicated rapid bus lanes. CRD also planning major upgrades to the Galloping Goose Trail
- Province’s housing bills focuses on frequent bus service and interchanges on the TCH and View Royal / Colwood / Goldstream corridor
- Provincial demands that 90% of View Royal’s single family lots become 4- and 6-unit structures (3-4x as many cars), combined with east/west commuters creates costly gridlock scenarios and serious transit delays
- Regional navigation is much easier when streets names don’t change every 3-4 km.
- Transit Local Area improvements (2021) recommends the #40 bus connecting TCH to DND / Dockyard
THEREFORE, be it resolved that:
1. 2. Change “Island Highway” to Craigflower Road (West?) from Admirals to Thetis Interchange (2.6 km) 3. Reduce speed limit from 50 to 40 kph, consistent with Esquimalt’s Craigflower Road (and Vic West 30k in density commercial / residential zone) 4. Convert NE corner of Island Highway / Helmcken from “soft” to “hard corner” for pedestrian safety 5. Re-design the road to permit ‘street parking’ to encourage / support local businesses 6. Revise intersection light timing in favour of north / south travel, since neighbourhoods will significantly densify with residential and commercial development 7. Ask MOTI to change “View Royal + arrow” to “View Royal Village + arrow””
AND FURTHER THAT View Royal encourage the Province and CRD to actively negotiate with First Nations to include an electric transit mode along the E&N Transportation Corridor, as a win-win-win: Climate, Economic Prosperity, Respect.