[Updated] The David Foster Harbour Pathway will be designed for pedestrians only.
City councillors reluctantly endorsed a staff recommendation Thursday to not design the pathway so that it can be shared with cyclists because of high costs and other factors such as environmental and archaeological risks.
“Obviously I‘m a little regretful to have to do this but I think, in fact, the staff recommendation is the correct one,” Coun. Geoff Young, a cyclist, said.
The 2008 estimate for completion of the pathway stretching from Ogden Point to Rock Bay was $18.9 million, but a staff report says that figure under estimates costs that are probably closer to $27 million, plus land acquisition costs, to finish the project.
Restricting the five-kilometre waterfront pathway to pedestrian use will reduce costs and make it easier to meet completion deadlines, the report says.
Young said there’s no question people would enjoy cycling along the path, “but we unfortunately have the situation where the pathway is of variable widths. It has sharp turns, walls in some cases on one side and the requirements of making it adequate for bicycle use as well would be just too onerous.”
But, he said, there is a perception of safety that pedestrians get when bicyclists are not permitted.
“This is becoming a very significant issue along the Galloping Goose [trail],” Young said.
“Regrettably we do have to make this decision. I think we can address the demands for bicycle access some other way. Obviously the harbour front bicycle path along the roadway is one possibility.”
Coun. Margaret Lucas said there simply isn’t the room for both cyclists and pedestrians on the route.
“I can’t see how that can possibly be engineered through this and I think we’d be making a really big mistake trying to do it,” Lucas said.
The decision will mean city staff will reconsider the design of two pathway bridges in James Bay at Heron Cove and Raymur Point. Using a narrower bridge design with a mid-span girder could cut the bridge costs by $1 million. But the city could lose a $440,000 provincial BikeBC grant it received for the bridge work.
Staff will see if the funds can be transferred to other cycling infrastructure.
The city named the pathway after Victoria-raised musician/producer David Foster in 2013.
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Earlier story:
City staff are recommending the David Foster Harbour Pathway should be designed and built for pedestrians only and not shared with cyclists.
The 2008 estimate for completion of the pathway stretching from Ogden Point to Rock Bay was $18.9 million, but a staff report going to councillors today says that figure underestimates costs that are probably closer to $27 million, plus land acquisition costs, to finish the project.
Restricting the five-kilometre waterfront pathway for pedestrian use will reduce ballooning cost estimates and enhance the ability to meet completion deadlines, the report says.
Ed Pullman, of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition, called the recommendation disappointing, but understandable given the costs.
But former city councillor and cycling consultant John Luton said it is not a good idea.
“There may be sections where you can’t necessarily fit in bikes, but you want to try to create a continuous route along the harbour for cycling tourists,” Luton said. “Even in sections where it’s very, very narrow, people are scooching through there on their bikes because they want to be on the waterfront.”
If councillors agree to the recommendation, staff say, they also might want to reconsider the design of two pathway bridges at Heron Cove and Raymur Point in James Bay. The city staff report recommends the city use a three-metre wide box girder bridge design, with a mid-span pier, rather than the five-metre wide single span design endorsed by council last December. The change could save $1 million.
While the original 2008 pathway plan envisioned shared use, “extensive widening of the pathway sections may pose undesirable risks to overall project cost, time and viability,” the staff report says.
“Those risks, combined with the planned cycling routes near or adjacent to the pathway, suggest that it may not be prudent to invest in widening the pathway which will be in close proximity to planned cycling infrastructure upgrades.”
Pullman said the cycling coalition understands the rationale given the estimated cost of $27 million.
“That [$27-million] could build the entire Biketoria [separate bike lane] network that’s been proposed. So certainly we’re disappointed to see that, but we recognize that’s a prohibitive cost,” he said.
If the decision is made to restrict the pathway to pedestrians, Pullman said his group would like to see the city reconsider separated bike lanes on Belleville Street.
“It was identified in the 2014 bicycle master plan update to be installed as a AAA bike facility,” he said.
Luton acknowledged $27 million “is a big chunk of cash,” but said it is worth it to support cycling tourism.
“Maybe you extend the completion by a few years and try to find a way to put in the dollars you need to do it right,” he said.
Moving to a pedestrian-only use could mean the loss of $440,000 in BikeBC grant funding, but it may be possible to reallocate the grant to other cycling projects in the city, the staff report says.
The city named the pathway after Victoria-raised musician/producer David Foster in 2013 at the same time that council endorsed a $40-million vision for the walkway that includes development of 11 “special places.” [email protected]
