Transportation Master Plan: Implementation

Today, the governments of Canada and British Columbia announced the successful recipients of the COVID Resilience stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, and Sooke is one of them. The District will be receiving $1.8 Million for the Otter Point Active Transportation Corridor Project.

This project includes the construction of approximately 430 meters of sidewalks and 720 meters of bike lanes as well as crosswalks to provide a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists from Wadams Way to Highway 14.

“In advance, I would like to thank residents and businesses for their patience during the road construction projects. I know a lot is happening in our community. This activity is the result of the District’s efforts to leverage grant opportunities, maximizing residents’ tax dollars, and respond to the community’s needs for active transportation networks,” shares Mayor Maja Tait. “Council adopted the Transportation Master Plan in October, following community consultation, and considerable progress is being made to action this plan. We are building a low carbon resilient community where residents can walk, stroll and roll safely within Sooke,” Tait adds.

Contractors will be mobilizing during the first week of September and construction is anticipated to be complete by November. The contractor will be providing a certified Traffic Management Plan for the construction of the corridor projects, which includes the Church Road Corridor project included in the 2021 budget, with updates on traffic management being share through the District website closer to the projects commencing.

Learn more:

• Canada and British Columbia invest in local infrastructure to help build community connections in the Vancouver Island region
• District of Sooke Transportation Master Plan

Related:

• District of Sooke Traffic Advisory Information
• District of Sooke Transportation Master Plan Implementation Information
• District of Sooke Budget Information
• Let’s Talk Low Carbon Resilience

The Otter Point Active Transportation Corridor is inclusive of bike lanes, sidewalks, boulevard improvements, lighting, and pavement resurfacing on both sides of the corridor.

This project is included in the 5-year financial plan for construction in 2024; however, a significant grant opportunity to fund the majority of this project was presented for Council consideration at the January 25^th Regular Council Meeting. Staff are proceeding with direction and support from Council to apply the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream through the Canada Infrastructure Program. The grant submission deadline is January 27, 2021. Grant status notification should be received on/around April 2021. If successful, the project will begin in summer 2021 with a target competition date of October 31, 2021.

The District will be consulting neighbouring property owners to determine changes in access and communicate impacts and opportunities. Neighbouring property owners can expect the District to connect with them by Thursday, February 4th, 2021.

Through five-year budget planning, 2021 Capital Transportation Project have been identified to include:

Church Road Design & Construction
The Church Road/ Throup Road Roundabout and the Church Road/ Highway 14 Intersection Improvements projects are both important capital infrastructure upgrades that will benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike.

The Church Road at Highway 14 Intersection Improvements include reconfiguring the road cross-section to include a bike lane and a turn lane to address long queue times at the intersection during peak hours.

As reported in the TMP, the intersection of Church Road and Throup Road requires a roundabout in order to improve safety and sightlines, and deal with the difficult existing geometry and grades. This will help facilitate additional pedestrian and vehicle traffic from the Throup Road connection to Phillips Road, as well as from development in the surrounding area" (TMP, p.42)

Brailsford Place Connection

"Connect the west and east sections of Brailsford Place by removing the barrier currently in-place and alter street design to provide a continuous Local Street standard" (TMP, p. 68).

Throup Connector Design (Charters to Phillips)

Design as reported in the TMP: extending Throup Road to connect Charters Road and Phillips Road. This will provide a connection between Phillips Road and the Town Centre as an alternative to Highway 14 and is the first section of the “Grant Road Connector” project that is included in the MOU between the District and the Ministry (TMP, p. 41).

Wadams/Otter Point/Grant Road West Design

As documented in the TMP, "The section of Otter Point Road between Highway 14 and Wadams Way requires streetscape upgrades to provide walking and cycling facilities, as well as to address congestion at the intersection with Highway 14. The 2013 MOU with MoTI also prescribes the realignment of the intersection with Wadams Way in order to improve sightlines and safety, and allow a continuous connection to the Grant Road Connector to the west. A roundabout is the preferred treatment for this intersection" (TMP, p. 42).

Drennan/Charters Intersection

This project is required to support additional density from the 2 BC housing developments. A delay in implementation from 2021 is being considered to strategically implement these intersection upgrades closer to, or in conjunction with, the Throup connection to Phillips Road – this will ultimately reduce congestion on HWY 14.

Phillips Road Design

Design of Active Transportation upgrades, including Sidewalks and cycling facilities, on Phillips Road between Highway 14 and the future Throup Road intersection (TMP, p. 68).

Charters Road Design

Design of sidewalk installation and complete streets upgrade on Charters Road between Highway 14 and Throup Road / Journey Middle School (TMP, p. 68).

EV Chargers

Public charging station to be installed on Eustace Road.

Streetlight Installation & Transit Stops
Town core improvements in coordination with Church/Otter Point Corridor projects.

Director of Operations, Jeff Carter, discusses transportation planning within the five-year financial plan, see this video (at approximately 40-58 minute-mark).

At the November 23, 2020 Regular Council Meeting, Council authorized staff to direct-award a contract for a tender-ready design for the Church Road Roundabout and Church Road at Highway 14 Intersection projects for $92,827 to McElhanney Ltd.

Context & Discussion

During the initial rezoning for the 2182 Church Road property, the developer produced a sketch mapping the basic layout for the roundabout to determine requirements for land dedication. As a Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure requirement for the current zoning amendment for the same property, the developer was required to provide a conceptual design introducing a dedicated right turn lane to the Church Road/ Highway 14 intersection. For both preliminary designs, the past and present developers engaged McElhanney Ltd. as their design consultant.

Based on cost-savings related to the initial preparatory work for the Church Road Roundabout, the District direct awarded a $25,000 contract to McElhanney to advance the old preliminary sketch into a full conceptual design, with the purpose of determining detailed frontage requirements and identifying cost-sharing opportunities in relation to development of the 2182 Church Road property. As of March 2021, the concept designs are nearing completion.

Council approved the Transportation Master Plan, READ MORE >>.