Abstract Manager

In this presentation, we will explore key initiatives and collaborative efforts that have shaped the Ministry of Transportation and Transit’s Highway 17 Uptown Mobility Hub project. The presentation will cover two main phases of the project and the pathways and challenges encountered to get the project to construction. The first phase involved the initial planning work and significant collaboration with project corridor partners to achieve buy-in of the overall project.  

With initiatives like CleanBC, the Road Safety Strategy, and the success of RapidBus in Victoria, the Ministry urged the planning team to consider an interim mobility hub focused on transit and active modes. The goal was to support long-term plans for Transit-Oriented Development within 10 to 15 years. Collaborating with BC Transit and the District of Saanich, the team proposed reducing vehicle lanes and removing one direction of traffic to create dedicated bus-only lanes, protected bike lanes, and high-quality transit stops. This solution aimed to enhance passenger experience, facilitate transit transfers, and upgrade the urban realm and active transportation network, including connections to the Galloping Goose and Lochside Trail network. Collaboration throughout the planning process was facilitated through working groups with regular meetings and feedback loop to the team. 

In the design and implementation phase, the Ministry and the design team tackled challenges from the Motor Vehicle Act and other constraints. They collaborated with jurisdictions like the District of Saanich and BC Transit, as well as suppliers and manufacturers of infrastructure such as bus shelters. Key design features include separating Multi-Use Path (MUP) users at crossings, incorporating separated two-way cycle tracks, developing bus stops for RapidBus shelters, implementing MMA conflict markings, and creating protected intersections with provisions for future implementation of bicycle signal lenses pending legislative changes. Signal timing strategies prioritize active mode safety while ensuring the movement of goods and vehicles, including no Right Turn on Red (RTOR) and Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs). 

The project also required major coordination with adjacent developers to facilitate the design and construction of the project, incorporating development servicing, accesses, and accommodation of future development infrastructure. The project also had to address floating bus stops, provided innovation on traditional bus bay designs to create better pedestrian visibility at mid-block crossings, and designed for the implementation of accessibility considerations and Tactile Walking Surface Indicators (TWSIs), which are somewhat atypical for a Ministry of Transportation and Transit project.