The mayor of Saanich says the district might be ready to rethink plans to reduce the number of vehicle traffic lanes on McKenzie Avenue.
Dean Murdock said feedback from public engagement on the Quadra McKenzie Plan — which will continue until the end of November — has made it clear some of the initiatives in the plan are not ready for prime time.
He said most of the pushback is over the idea of shifting McKenzie from two lanes of vehicle traffic in each direction to one lane for vehicles, another dedicated to buses and a third protected lane for bikes in each direction.
“It’s clear from the feedback that people see that as not something they could support, that it will impact their ability to use McKenzie,” said Murdock.
“I take that very seriously. I know council takes that very seriously. So we’ll be asking staff to think about how we can accommodate rapid transit in a way that’s going to still allow people to move through that corridor without a lot of additional congestion or frustration.”
Saanich residents have had the opportunity to offer their feedback over the past three weeks at two open houses and two online webinars. There has also been an online survey at , which will take feedback until Nov. 25.
Murdock said the majority of those weighing in so far have expressed frustration and in some cases disbelief.
“What we’re hearing from folks is that the design that’s currently proposed is going to cause a lot of frustration and headaches and that’s not something that they’re going to put up with.”
In a letter to the ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ about the proposal, Saanich resident Spencer Evans noted that McKenzie is the main artery from the Trans-ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Highway to the University of Victoria, and the region just spent $96 million on the McKenzie interchange to help alleviate traffic congestion.
Others have called the plans short-sighted and ludicrous.
Saanich resident Paula Manning noted the plan would cause major traffic congestion and push traffic down busy side streets, many of which don’t have sidewalks. “Some streets are meant to stay two lanes each way, and McKenzie/Quadra are two of those,” she said. “Saanich has missed the mark on this one.”
Not all residents dislike the idea, however.
Rob Maxwell said the dedicated bus lanes could be a game-changer.
“The only way to deal with traffic congestion is to re-allocate our limited road space in order to move more people rather than cars,” he said. “This means providing people with more transportation options by improving transit and making it easier and safer to get around by walking and cycling.”
The redesign of McKenzie Avenue to improve transit service is part of the larger Quadra-McKenzie Plan, which has been in the works since 2022.
The plan calls for concentrating growth and higher-density housing along Quadra and McKenzie, with a mix of uses that provide both housing and employment opportunities.
The draft calls for the creation of hubs along Quadra and McKenzie providing commercial services, with public spaces and connections for multiple modes of travel, so people can meet their daily needs on foot.
Saanich resident Sandra Rouse said she is concerned about the increased density along the corridors, saying some areas could lose their neighbourhood feel.
“I just don’t want my neighbourhood changed a lot or destroyed,” she said.
Rouse was worried, as were other residents, about some of the concept drawings in the plan that suggested new roads where there are currently homes.
Murdock said some of those plans are just looking at potential opportunities, and aren’t something that Saanich has immediate plans to execute.
“No one is going to get forced off of their property. This is really about identifying potential opportunities as they may come in the future.”
Murdock said the draft plan was to return to council in the first quarter of next year, but that may change as a result of the feedback they’ve been receiving.
“I think there will be a bit of reflection on what the next steps look like so that we can land a plan that’s going to work,” he said.
He said that they would like to see the full scope of feedback to understand just how significantly the draft plan will need to be revised.
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