Active Transportation Plan

Are you ready to walk, cycle and roll?
The District of Central Saanich is launching its first Active Transportation Plan!
The plan will:
- Include extensive research and community feedback
- Identify priority projects, actions and policies that support and encourage walking, cycling, rolling and transit integration
- Consider traffic safety
- Identify potential transit service improvements
- Be financially reasonable for a small, rural community
Please continue to visit this project site for updates.
If you'd like to receive email notifications, see SUBSCRIBE on the right.
Are you ready to walk, cycle and roll?
The District of Central Saanich is launching its first Active Transportation Plan!
The plan will:
- Include extensive research and community feedback
- Identify priority projects, actions and policies that support and encourage walking, cycling, rolling and transit integration
- Consider traffic safety
- Identify potential transit service improvements
- Be financially reasonable for a small, rural community
Please continue to visit this project site for updates.
If you'd like to receive email notifications, see SUBSCRIBE on the right.
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Preliminary ATP framework
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link03 Nov 2020Discussion Paper no.3 is now online! This is the preliminary framework for the Active Transportation Plan. It builds on earlier research and technical analysis contained in Discussion Paper no.1, and the summary of public and stakeholder feedback summarized in Discussion Paper no.2.
This paper is the final in the three-part discussion paper series before the District presents a draft Active Transportation Plan to the public and Council for feedback.
This framework sets the draft vision and goals, plan and priorities, as well as provides design guidelines and standards.
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Prioritizing Road Safety
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link24 Sep 2020Our students are now travelling throughout our community to get to school safely.
Last fall we asked residents and visitors to identify priority improvements to improve road safety within Central Saanich.
Residential streets and school zones were identified as priority areas where speed bumps, chicanes, roundabouts or other traffic calming could make for safer streets.
Reducing speed limits was suggested by numerous participants as a quick and cost-effective method for improving safety.
We are heading into our final phase of the active transportation plan’s development and are excited to have a strategic plan to work to make our community a safer place to be.
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Prioritizing Safe Routes to Schools
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link18 Aug 2020“…START FROM SCHOOLS AND WORK OUTWARD TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES." ~SURVEY RESPONDENT
Throughout Phase One of the Active Transportation Plan process a need to expand and improve sidewalks and crossings around schools was frequently mentioned as a result of the experiences of students and families travelling to and from school. Key concerns related to school travel are both a lack of safe, continuous pedestrian facilities to/from schools, as well as concerns over driver behavior and vehicle speeds in the vicinity of schools.
Suggested improvements for walking and cycling to school within the Active Transportation Plan include priority given to enhancing intersections, crossings, sidewalk networks and lighting along routes regularly travelled by children and their families, as well as focusing traffic safety and speed enforcement efforts in these locations.
August is a great time to practice walking to school. Families can map out routes based on their walking and cycling priorities and travel together!
Travelling actively in a socially distanced way to travel to and from school and has the additional benefits of improved health and fitness and air quality and arriving at school refreshed and alert and ready to learn.
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Prioritizing projects to build a network
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link31 Jul 2020We are in the midst of designing the Active Transportation Plan and are using community input and road data to identify the priority projects needed to create networks.
We heard you clearly say there are gaps in our existing bike lane and sidewalk networks. Our plan will provide a list of priority projects to help us fill those gaps. Connection is key to creating routes people feel comfortable on.
Creating an overall build out plan for these projects will ensure a connected networks.
We must prioritize projects to ensure that the plan fit within our budget— as active transportation infrastructure can require considerable funding depending on their scope. For a small community like ours, the plan requires serious analysis and planning to ensure it is suitable. The financial analysis is underway and will be presented to the community along with the draft Active Transportation Plan this fall.
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What We Heard Summary
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link12 May 2020So far we have heard from more than 700 community member representing a range of abilities and ages.
Feedback from the survey and engagement activities highlights the need to address traffic safety concerns; this will also increase active transportation user comfort and safety and thereby encourage more people to travel actively. Specifically, people asked us to look at residential streets and school zones and an increase in enforcement.
Other top priorities for residents included more sidewalks, continuity in crosswalks, separated bike routes, improving the linkages to regional trails, and a call for more focus on access to bus stops.
Several routes, including school routes, locations for crosswalks, intersections and bus stop shelters were frequently mentioned; you can read about these in the full report here. It will be presented to Council at the Council meeting on May 25, 2020.
We have now moved onto the next phase of the project and are working to identify and describe the opportunities to improve active transportation conditions and present a report to Council and the community. The draft Active Transportation Plan will be available in the Fall 2020. At that time, further community input will be sought to ensure community priorities are reflected in the plan and to gauge the level of resident support for the action items identified in the plan. Please stay tuned for future community engagement opportunities!
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Thank you for your feedback so far!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link02 Mar 2020Thank you to everyone who's shared feedback to help us design Central Saanich's first Active Transportation Plan. We have heard from hundreds of people so far and had the largest response to an online survey we've ever had! A summary of what we heard will be published here next month.
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Have Your Say this February!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link03 Jan 2020We will be hosting a series of engagement events throughout February and would encourage you to join us!
Upcoming Active Transportation Plan Public Engagement OpportunitiesPublic Forum (Open House)
February 8, 2020
Cultural Centre (1209 Clarke Road)11:00am – 2:00pm
Keating Neighbourhood Pop-Up Engagement
February 12, 2020
Keating Centre Parking Lot11:30am – 1:30pm
Saanichton Neighbourhood Pop-Up Engagement
February 18, 2020
Thrifty Foods Parking Lot11:30am – 1:30pm
Regional Connections Pop-Up Engagement
February 23, 2020
Panorama Recreation Centre (1885 Forest Park Drive, North Saanich)12:00pm – 3:00pm
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Talking transportation at the Saanichton Village Design Plan open house
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link16 Sep 2019On Saturday, September 14, 2019, a member of our Active Transportation Team was on hand at the Saanichton Village Design Plan open house to talk with residents and business owners about the village's transportation challenges and opportunities. To see all the boards at the event, and learn about other upcoming Saanichton Village Design Plan events, please see the project site.
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We are rolling!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link10 Sep 2019We are rolling on the early stages of developing an Active Transportation Plan. Key to this work is recognizing we are a rural community with a limited tax base,and finding practical ways to support and encourage active and accessible transportation.
The team, which includes Urban Systems (architects of BC’s Active Transportation Design Guide), is currently collecting data and looking at existing trails, roads and opportunities. Beginning in early 2020 there will be many opportunities to share what your priorities are, and we’re eager to work with the community on this exciting project!
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Who's listening
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Central Saanich
Timeline
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Project implementation, summer 2019
Active Transportation Plan has finished this stageThe core project team has been formed, which includes District staff and active transportation professionals from Urban Systems (architects of BC’s Active Transportation Design Guide).
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Understanding Current Conditions, fall 2019
Active Transportation Plan has finished this stageThis phase is focused on developing a full and detailed understanding of the current state of active transportation in Central Saanich. It includes a review of plans and policies, mapping of current facilities and community destinations, and a comprehensive review of available data.
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Stakeholder and Public Feedback, January-March 2020
Active Transportation Plan has finished this stageThe community will have the opportunity to meet with the project team and/or contribute their ideas (both in person and through this site) for improving the overall active transportation network, traffic safety, and identifying current challenges and opportunities. The team will also work closely with a technical advisory committee (including the police service, BC Transit and others) and stakeholders (such as cycling groups and underrepresented groups).
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Develop Transportation Directions, Spring-Summer 2020
Active Transportation Plan has finished this stageThe understanding of current conditions and aspirations of the public and stakeholders will inform this stage of the plan and the core project team will begin to develop the Active Transportation Plan.
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Financial Strategy, Fall 2020
Active Transportation Plan is currently at this stageThe work in this phase will ensure that the Active Transportation Plan considers and reflects financial implications the District and its residents are comfortable with.
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Active Transportation Plan Completion, September-December 2020
this is an upcoming stage for Active Transportation PlanThe final phase of work will involve drafting and finalizing the plan through consultation with District staff, the technical advisory committee, stakeholders, the public, and Council.