Unsurprisingly, barrelling down Douglas Street on a bicycle with a double-decker transit bus on your tail isnB次元官网网址檛 a comfortable situation for most cyclists.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 why some Victoria cyclists support re-evaluating the shared use designation of new priority lanes on Douglas Street.
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Corey Burger, policy and infrastructure chair of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition (GVCC) would be happy to see bus and bike lanes separated on the road B次元官网网址� one of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 main arteries.
B次元官网网址淔rom our perspective, the lanes installed were really a compromise design, B次元官网网址� Burger said.
He said he understands city design is a process but said for most cyclists, Douglas Street is B次元官网网址渘ot a fun road to ride on.B次元官网网址�
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B次元官网网址淵ou do feel the pressure to ride a bit faster because you know you are slowing down people,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥r a good cyclist can travel the same distance as a bus, so you end up in this B次元官网网址榣eap-froggingB次元官网网址� situation.B次元官网网址�
Burger has heard suggestions for cyclists to use Blanchard instead of Douglas Street but said Douglas is a main route for many B次元官网网址� including cyclists.
B次元官网网址淧eople use Douglas because thatB次元官网网址檚 where theyB次元官网网址檙e going [or] itB次元官网网址檚 the best way to get where theyB次元官网网址檙e going. Our streets are for everybody and they should be the best possible streets for everybody.B次元官网网址�
On Tuesday, Jan. 8, the union representing Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 BC Transit drivers told Black Press that bus drivers arenB次元官网网址檛 sold on the shared lanes.
B次元官网网址淭he problem when you add the cyclists in there is the bus is only as fast as the cyclist,B次元官网网址� said Ben Williams, president of Unifor Local 333 BC. B次元官网网址淵ou used to have a bike lane beside the right-hand lane [and] thatB次元官网网址檚 not the case anymore B次元官网网址� now the cyclist needs to ride right in front of the bus.B次元官网网址�
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In a statement, BC Transit said it has received feedback while people adjust to the new lanes.
B次元官网网址淲e are pleased with the contributions the bus lanes are making to improve the traffic flow and movement of people along the Douglas corridor,B次元官网网址� it stated. B次元官网网址淲e will continue to monitor and see how we can work together with our partners to make the bus lanes the most efficient. Safety remains a top priority for BC Transit and our operators are trained to drive effectively in these situations.B次元官网网址�
nina.grossman@blackpress.ca
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