A plan for the future of Quadra Street and McKenzie Avenue in Saanich won’t include reducing vehicle lanes on Quadra to make more space for cyclists and buses.
The original plan included transit-designated lanes, protected bike lanes and sidewalks on Quadra Street, but council voted to scrap that at its Monday meeting.
Council opted for townhouses and banned six-storey apartments in an area near Swan Lake and to the north of the Saanich Operations Centre near the Lochside Trail.
Building heights will now be capped at four storeys along Quadra Street north of Saanich Road on the west side of the street and Tuxedo Drive and Ian Street on the east side, which essentially kills the idea of hubs at Beckwith and Chatterton.
Coun Colin Plant, who suggested the height restriction in north Quadra, said it was a response to public demand.
The revised plan, which aims to focus future growth in Saanich’s centres, corridors and villages where there is transit and infrastructure to handle the increased density, has been revised several times over the last three years, going through four rounds of public engagement with more than 30,000 people.
Murdock said he’s still not sure it will pass when staff bring back the revised edition of the document later this spring.
“But I’m hopeful that what we’ve achieved tonight was clear direction that reflects a vision that more people can see themselves in,” he said. “I’m really hopeful that means it’s going to allow us to ultimately get this plan approved.”
Full story in the Times-Colonist at https://r.pebmac.ca/https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/bike-and-bus-lanes-on-quadra-off-the-table-in-revised-saanich-plan-11830270
