Commuters should expect lane closures and delays along Tillicum Road in Saanich, with construction anticipated to start this week on bike lane installation and re-laning.
The work is set to begin Wednesday (Aug. 17), with final line painting expected early next month. A concrete curb buffer will also be added on both sides of the road for protection following the installation of the bike lanes.
“This section is an important corridor for safety improvements, as it’s a particularly vulnerable area for active transportation users,” the district stated in a release.
Crews will first remove two vehicle lanes – leaving two general purpose lanes and one left-turn lane along Tillicum Road between Arena Road (at Tillicum Centre) and Saanich’s boundary with Esquimalt on the Tillicum bridge. A protected bike lane will then be installed on each side of Tillicum Road.
Construction will also be taking place on Arena Road, leading toward Pearkes Recreation Centre.
“Improving conditions for pedestrians and cyclists on Tillicum will address an important gap in safe infrastructure and help enable residents to have multiple transportation options,” Coun. Rebecca Mersereau, chair of Saanich’s active transportation committee, said in the release.
Work will happen from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and transit buses will be accommodated along the route; however, streets intersecting Tillicum Road may be limited to local traffic only periodically during construction.
Traffic control personnel and signage will also be in place to guide drivers, cyclists and pedestrians safely through the construction zone. Delays can be expected to last until early September.
Approved by council back in March, the project is estimated to cost $500,000 with the bike lanes expected to open late this year.
For more information on this project and others, go to saanich.ca.
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