Bike Lanes in Victoria


As a city with a small downtown center and reasonable weather all year round, Victoria makes cycling an accessible and economical option for many. In a report done by Statistics Canada, Victoria was shown that 5.9% of Victorians bike to work, five times the average from any other city in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2011).

With cycling as such a popular form of commuting, it only makes sense to ensure safety for our local cyclists by installing bike lanes. Cyclists are in a vulnerable position when driving in close proximity to cars. With the separation of vehicle lanes, raised medians and separate traffic lights, bikers and cars will not endure the risk of collisions.

Cycling saves money, keeps people active, lowers traffic and parking congestion in the downtown core, while also lessening the harmful environmental impact from car pollution. Victoria has caught on to these benefits and with the specialized lanes, the city hopes that this will encourage more cycling. As a result, this could boost our economy for Victoria by providing more opportunities for the biking industry. For example, with increased accessibility of biking thanks to the completion of the first phase of lanes, Victoria has recently been introduced to self-locking bikes by UBike. It is a mobile device managed company where you can pick up and drop off a bike at any station scattered throughout the city. Lisa Mayor Helps says that managing the bikes and maintaining their upkeep is a potential area for job growth in the city (All Points West, 2018). Not only will this encourage cycling for local residents, but it will appeal to our prominent tourism industry as well.

Victoria can be a leader and role model for other regions regarding the use of bike lanes in order to encourage the many benefits of cycling in a city. It is no question that by investing in the safety, pleasure, and convenience of both locals and tourists, bike lanes will contribute immensely to the development of our city.

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