Victoria Regional Transit Future Plan 2017 Annual Progress Update

What Has Been Accomplished in 2016?

Service & Amenities: Meeting customer needs now and in the future

• Reviewed and rescheduled 50 per cent of the routes to better reflect increased travel times and improve on-time performance and reliability
• Matched seasonal service levels (e.g. during December) to better align with demand and allow for additional improvements to schedule reliability
• Added higher capacity buses to the Westshore routes to accommodate increased passenger demand
• Introduced new bus routing at Uptown to improve route directness and travel times
• Implemented “Next Bus” short message service to provide customers the upcoming scheduled arrivals at a stop by texting the stop identification number
• Initiated BC Transit’s SmartBus Program which includes funding for the provision of new smart technology on many buses operating in conventional systems, including automatic passenger counters, video surveillance and automatic vehicle locators. This technology will enable better data collection and ridership reporting, enhanced safety and security, real-time information to improve the customer experience, and better operational situational awareness

Infrastructure: Getting transit the space and place it needs

• Commenced the next phase of dedicated bus lanes along Douglas Street:
  • The Victoria Transit Commission and the City of Victoria Council have approved a budget and bus lane design for a southbound bus lane on Douglas from Tolmie to Hillside. Bus lanes will be designated for 24-hour transit use. Under implementation construction to begin in 2017
  • The Ministry of Transportation & Infrastructure has committed to develop bus lanes on Highway 1 to support the vision of the Transit Future Plan. The implementation of bus lanes will be phased in over the next few years; the following three projects have been announced:
    • The McKenzie interchange project includes bus-on-shoulder lanes and new bus stops - Construction is now underway and is expected to be completed in 2018
    • An announcement has been made for the extension of a northbound bus lane from Tolmie to Saanich Rd. The design is being finalized and construction is expected to start in 2017
    • An announcement has been made for the extension of the northbound bus lane on Highway 1 from Saanich Rd to Burnside. Construction is expected to be completed in 2018
• Constructed a new bus zone at Uptown as a first step to establishing a new transit exchange
• Worked with the City of Victoria and private carriers to establish a Downtown Victoria Transportation Precinct near the Crystal Garden to better integrate transit and intercity buses
• Added 39 new bus shelters to bus stops around the region

Livable Communities: Ensuring integration with land use and other active transportation

• Continued to work regularly with local governments around the region to integrate and coordinate transit plans with transportation and land use plans
• Started local area transit plans for James Bay, Jubilee and Burnside-Tillicum areas

Funding & Decision Making: Strengthening community investment and involvement

• Enhanced the representation of the Victoria Regional Transit Commission through the addition of a second Westshore representative (Mayor of Sooke) to reflect changes in community populations
• Implemented a simplified fare structure, including the elimination of transfers
• Continued to lobby the Province for an increase in the local fuel tax as part of 2017/18 budget considerations

Next Stops: Priority Actions for 2017

• Expand service on crosstown bus routes and improve service reliability with the addition of 8 new buses and 20,000 service hours
• Continue to work with the City of Victoria, District of Saanich and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to construct and implement the announced bus lane projects on Douglas and Highway 1
• Develop a business case for expanding transit signal priority to other frequent transit corridors
  • BC Transit and the District of Saanich have partnered on a study to review the opportunities and benefits for transit signal priority on Quadra, McKenzie and Shelbourne
• Complete the James Bay, Jubilee and Burnside-Tillicum area transit plans
• Complete the Westhills Transit Terminal
• Implement the Smartbus Program on conventional buses in the region
• Begin construction of a new handyDART facility to support future investments in handyDART service levels
• Partner with Saanich and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on preliminary planning efforts for a multi modal transit exchange at Uptown
• Partner with Colwood and View Royal on preliminary planning efforts for a bus priority lane on the Island Hwy
• Work with the City of Victoria to refresh on-street customer information and to improve on-street amenities on Douglas Street
• Work with local government partners to add 40 new shelters to the transit system

Transit Future Strategic Route Map: Key Actions and Milestones

Start

• 2011 Transit Future Plan approved by area governments, sets long term vision for region’s transit
• 2012 Expanded Park & Ride Capacity at McTavish Interchange
• 2014 Service Review sets priority actions for next 5-7 years and included the development of service standards and performance guidelines

2014 – 2017

• Expanded exchanges at UVic and Downtown to meet future growth
• Initial section of Douglas St. Priority Bus Lanes implemented from Downtown to Tolmie Avenue
• New website and online trip planner implemented
• New Transit Future maps and bus stop signage implemented
• Transit service efficiency changes to better reallocate service to match demand
• Development of the Frequent Transit Network
• 15 UVic Express future Rapid Transit route extended to Esquimalt/Dockyard
• New service to Bear Mountain
• Westshore Local Area Transit Plan completed
• Added over 250 bus shelters to the transit system
• Three year fare strategy finalized and implemented
• SmartBus program, including real-time information technology approved

Priorities for Next 1 – 3 Years

• Complete Bus Lanes in the City of Victoria and work with MoTI to extend the northbound Bus- lane from Tolmie Ave to Saanich Rd
• Open Bus-on-shoulder lanes as part of the McKenzie Interchange
• Planning for bus priority infrastructure on the Island Hwy in partnership with Colwood and View Royal
• Establish a new Westhills Terminal
• Expand service on crosstown routes and improve service reliability with up to 30,000 service hours.
• Implement Smartbus program
• Increase park & ride capacity in the Westshore
• Continue to add bus shelters to the system
• Complete Local Area Transit Plans for:
  • James Bay, Jubilee, Burnside-Tillicum areas (Year 1)
  • Peninsula (Year 2) & Sooke (Year 3)
• Open an expanded handyDART transit facility to meet future system growth
• New Routes: Gorge Hillside Crosstown and in the Westshore
• Implement transit priority measures on McKenzie and Island Highway
• Complete plans for transit priority measure on other frequent transit corridors
• Work with the City of Victoria to refresh on-street customer information and to improve on-street amenities on Douglas Street to move towards Rapidbus service

Priorities for Next 4 – 7 Years

• Complete Bus- on -shoulder lanes west of the interchange to the Westshore and an eastbound/southbound lane from McKenzie to Tolmie
• Open a new conventional transit facility to meet future system growth
• Open a new Uptown Exchange and reconfigure routes
• Establish a Jubilee Transit Hub in the Fort/Foul Bay area
• Implement Rapid Bus Lines and Stations
• Continue to develop and improve service frequencies and deploy transit priority measures on Rapid and Frequent lines
• Continue to add bus shelters to the transit system
• New routes: McKenzie/Admirals Crosstown
• Open a New Sooke Terminal/Exchange/Park & Ride
• Provide Additional Terminal/Park & Ride on Highway 17

Ongoing Activities

• Working with area local governments to ensure coordination and integration of land use and transportation planning
• Service monitoring and changes to improve reliability, better match service to demand and ensure existing system resources used wisely
• Marketing and outreach activities to promote the service and gain new customers