Email from Amelia Potvin Re: Pedestrian priority

Email Correspondence

From: Ivan Leung ILeung@viewroyal.ca
Sent: November 1, 2024 9:31 AM
Cc: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Subject: RE: Pedestrian priority

Good Afternoon Amelia,

Thank you for your comments regarding pedestrian priorities within the Town of View Royal. I do recall the dialogue that we had as part of the Active Transportation Network Plan engagement, so comments from active travellers and residents like yourself are greatly appreciated.

Regarding traffic timing changes, unfortunately these changes are not things that merely require staff time for the Town of View Royal. Larger local governments in the region may have certified traffic signal control staff on hand to conduct the signal changes. In addition, larger local governments may have the staffing capacity to review and adjust signal timings too. The Town of View Royal is a small municipality with limited resources and budgets. As a result, our ability to conduct ad hoc changes is limited without sacrificing on our other priority areas and capital project initiatives.

That said, we are going through the motions of enacting strategies within our Active Transportation Network Plan, and many of our capital projects take pedestrian accessibility improvements into account. An example includes improving pedestrian accessibility at the Helmcken / Watkiss intersection (reducing crossing distance, conflict zones and looking at the possibility of leading pedestrian intervals). Another example includes our Island Highway at View Royal Avenue signal controller replacement project, which will also be incorporating LPI’s. Such projects are identified in the ATNP which will help us meet our Active Transportation targets.

The Island Hwy and Helmcken Rd are certainly complex road networks that see significant changes in traffic throughout the day. The BC Transit Rapid Transit project near Six Mile Road has been a priority for the Town thus far and staff are working on optimizing the signals along that corridor to help improve pedestrian accessibility there given the number of complaints received.

While I cannot speak on behalf of my staff, I have received lesser complaints in the areas that you have mentioned. That said, I will forward this to staff for consideration and determination of priority. We currently have other priorities that are taking precedence, in accordance with our Active Transportation Network Plan. That said, we will be conducting a Transportation Master Plan project next year that will provide a systematic modelling approach to how we can balance the needs of all road users and how to prioritize active travellers such as pedestrians and transit users. We will certainly take your comments into consideration as part of that master planning exercise, which can review the entire Island Hwy and Helmcken networks more holistically.

Finally, regarding the Helmcken overpass signals – these are within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Their contact info can be found here. Signalization will likely change here to improve transit user accessibility as part of their Hwy bus improvements project.

Thank you,

Ivan Leung, P.Eng
Director of Engineering
Town of View Royal | 45 View Royal Ave | Victoria, BC V9B 1A6
d: 250-708-2272 | p: 250-479-6800

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From: Amelia Potvin
Sent: October 27, 2024 11:21 AM
To: Engineering E@viewroyal.ca
Cc: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Subject: Pedestrian priority

Dear Council and Engineering staff,

I am getting in touch about improvements for my family getting around in the township. We primarily bike for transportation and walk a lot between dog walks, strolls to Portage Park and walking to and from the school bus.

I took part in engagement for View Royal’s active transportation plan and was excited to see some improvements. Not much has hapenned yet which is a bit disappointing but expected given the time and budget required for some of the proposed changes.

However, I see a lot of low-hanging fruit that could improve active transportation that I would have hoped to see the town capitalize on.

Please start prioritizing pedestrian movements.

Several intersections make pedestrians wait far too long to cross. Near me, the Island Highway at View Royal Ave intersection has an excessive waiting time for pedestrians. Same at Stormont and Island Highway.

At the very least, pedestrian walk lights should come on with every signal phase. Additionally, pedestrian push buttons should start a countdown to cross regardless of time of day. A reasonable wait time after pushing the button is essential. At too many locations, the pedestrian signal does not activate unless the button is pressed (Island Highway @ Stormont, Islamd Highway @ View Royal, Helmcken @ HWY 1 overpass on both sides).

This leaves pedestrians waiting even longer if they arrive to a green car light but pedestrian don’t cross light. I’ve waited well over five minutes to cross in these circumstances.

The current signal timings prioritize vehicles moving through our municipality over the safety and convenience of residents moving in our municipality. If you don’t make walking (transit) and cycling safer and more convenient than driving people are going to keep piling into their cars to get everywhere.

That is not going to help us meet any active transportation targets.

These small changes require only staff time to make signal adjustments and no significant infrasturcutre investments.

I look forward to your response and responsiveness to these issues.

Thank you,

Amelia