Victoria councillors agree to make harbour pathway for walkers only
Cost estimates mean no room for cyclists on route named after David Foster
The David Foster Harbour Pathway will be designed for pedestrians only.
City councillors reluctantly endorsed a staff recommendation Thursday to not design the pathway so that it can be shared with cyclists because of high costs and other factors such as environmental and archeological risks.
“Obviously, I‘m a little regretful to have to do this but I think, in fact, the staff recommendation is the correct one,” Coun. Geoff Young, a cyclist, said.
The 2008 estimate for completion of the pathway stretching from Ogden Point to Rock Bay was $18.9 million. But a staff report says that figure underestimates costs that are probably closer to $27 million, plus land acquisition costs, to finish the project.
Restricting the five-kilometre waterfront pathway to pedestrian use will reduce costs and make it easier to meet completion deadlines, the report says.
Young said there’s no question people would enjoy cycling along the path, “but we unfortunately have the situation where the pathway is of variable widths. It has sharp turns, walls in some cases on one side and the requirements of making it adequate for bicycle use as well would be just too onerous.”
But, he said, there is a perception of safety that pedestrians get when bicyclists are not permitted. “This is becoming a very significant issue along the Galloping Goose [trail],” Young said.
“Regrettably, we do have to make this decision. I think we can address the demands for bicycle access some other way. Obvi- ously, the harbourfront bicycle path along the roadway is one possibility.”
Coun. Margaret Lucas said there simply isn’t room for both cyclists and pedestrians on the route.
“I can’t see how that can possibly be engineered through this and I think we’d be making a really big mistake trying to do it,” Lucas said.
The decision will mean city staff will reconsider the design of two pathway bridges in James Bay at Heron Cove and Raymur Point. Using a narrower bridge design with a mid-span girder could cut the bridge costs by $1 million. But the city could lose a $440,000 provincial Bike-BC grant it received for the bridge work.
Staff will see if the funds can be transferred to other cycling infrastructure.
The city named the pathway after Victoria-raised musician/producer David Foster in 2013.