With the flip of a sign, part-time bike lanes in Oak Bay may soon be a thing of the past.
During its Feb. 12 meeting, council revisited an idea that has been extensively discussed both in chambers and on the streets over the past year.
Council tasked staff with preparing changes for the required traffic control order that would remove part-time parking in bike lanes on Henderson and Cedar Hill Cross roads. But the resolution didn’t come without discussion, and opposition; Coun. Cairine Green voted against the motion.
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“I’m absolutely pro-cycling, but I also have to represent the wider community as a whole,” Green said, expressing concerns about accessibility. “I still believe a broader consultation would be helpful. I’m not sure people are neutral about the issue, certainly I’ve heard from people who are not neutral.”
Currently, both Henderson and Cedar Hill Cross roads have official bike-only lanes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday. During nights and weekends, drivers are permitted to park vehicles at the curb. These roads are vital north-south connectors for cyclists traveling to the University of Victoria and surrounding areas.
The proposal to remove parking, initially introduced in 2008 and 2010, resurfaced about a year ago when Coun. Carrie Smart proposed removing the signage, making the sections full-time bike lanes.
“This is part of our council priorities to have a continuous network,” Smart said during the meeting. “It’s about safety. It’s about mode change for climate change and it’s about healthy transportation options for our community.”
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In July 2023, council instructed staff bring potential amendments to remove the parking component and gather public input from neighbouring properties and the North Henderson Community Association.
In November 2023, a letter was sent to 153 properties surrounding the affected streets and the North Henderson Community Association, seeking input on the proposed removal of parking. According to a staff report, as of the Dec. 15, 2023 deadline, Oak Bay received 21 responses, with a 14 per cent response rate. Sixteen were opposed to the changes, and five were in favor.
Feedback highlighted that properties along Cedar Hill Cross Road lack nearby side streets for visitors to park, with the nearest side street being 75 metres east of Henderson Road – 160 metres from the nearest property and 295 metres from the middle property. These side streets also have two-hour or resident-only parking restrictions, which staff recommend revisiting if parking on Henderson and Cedar Hill Cross changes.
Green also supported a future idea suggested by Coun. Hazel Braithwaite, who proposed having engineering examine the viability of a two-way bike lane on one side of the road, allowing for street parking on the other side. This proposal would also include considerations for sidewalks and crosswalks.
“I don’t want to hold this up, but I do think it would be nice to get that information,” Braithwaite said.
Mayor Kevin Murdoch noted that the road needs to be redesigned over a longer timeframe, and water mains in the area are at or near the end of their life expectancy. Some breaks have occurred this winter, indicating significant underground work is forthcoming for these roads. Despite these challenges, Murdoch expressed that philosophically, removing parking is the right thing to do.
“If we’re trying to build a cycling infrastructure, it should be 24/7 just on principle,” he said.
“People riding in these bike lanes still have to be just as attentive when they’re riding in the dark as they were before,” he added, emphasizing that buses will continue to stop roadside, and motorists will pull in and out of driveways.
While the recent conversation reignited a year ago, Coun. Andrew Appleton noted that it dates back to the active transportation plan completed in 2011.
“It’s a very, very small incremental step to a safer bike network,” he said during the meeting.
This sentiment was echoed by another early supporter of the idea, Coun. Lesley Watson.
“Making this change may require some residents to adjust their parking practices. But we’ve seen that already throughout the community. Residents and business owners along many sections of new bike infrastructure in Greater Victoria are changing their behaviors and making those adjustments so that cyclists can use the road,” Watson said.
“Parking in front of one’s home is a convenience but not a right. Providing safe cycling routes must take precedence if we are to make headway in Oak Bay.”
The cost of replacing existing signs is approximately $10,000 and can be accommodated within existing budgets and staff work plans. Staff expect to have the traffic control order changes for residential parking on the streets back for council consideration by the end of March.
For council agendas and attendance options, visit oakbay.civicweb.net.
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