Traffic in Victoria’s downtown will face a new set of obstacles as the City of Victoria tackles an infrastructure project along Government Street.
Starting this month, the city will be replacing a water main on Government Street between Pandora Avenue and Yates Street. The $1.9-million project, funded in part by the federal government, is to handle future growth and protect underground infrastructure in earthquakes and climate events.
The city said there will be temporary parking lane reductions, but the hope is to have one travel lane in each direction kept open during the work. Pedestrian access is expected to be maintained on all sidewalks.
The work comes ahead of improvements planned for that section of Government Street. Detailed design work is ongoing for the project that will feature wider sidewalks, more patio and seating areas, new trees, cultural landmarks, parking and pick-up/drop-off areas.
That project is expected to start in 2026. No budget has been finalized.
Blanshard Street
Work and traffic disruptions will continue through 2025 on a section of Blanshard Street between Fort Street and Caledonia Avenue.
The city has completed underground infrastructure upgrades along the stretch and is now undertaking work to improve safety for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. The city budgeted $6.8 million for the infrastructure upgrade, repaving, traffic signal upgrades, new dedicated left-turn lanes, one-way protected bike lanes on each side of the street, improved crosswalks, accessibility upgrades, new accessible parking spaces, landscaping and lighting improvements.
Douglas Street
Work on the expanded transit corridor along Douglas Street is expected to start in 2027. The city completed installation of dedicated bus lanes from Hillside Avenue to Herald Street in 2024. That project was paid for by B.C. Transit.
The city is now in the early design stages to establish the rapid-transit corridor as far south as Belleville Street.
The project will see the dedicated Douglas Street bus lanes run from Hillside Avenue south to Belleville Street, while designing street improvements such as sidewalks, bus stops, loading zones, left-turn lanes and landscaping along Douglas.
The design will take into account ways of including safe access for cycling and other active transportation in the street’s redevelopment.
Early concept plans, brought to council in the spring, included moving a transit hub from beside the legislature to the 700-block of Douglas Street at Crystal Garden and prohibiting motor vehicle traffic, except buses, from using the northbound lane on Douglas between Belleville and Humboldt streets.
There was discussion of extending Blanshard Street through Belleville Street with a new traffic signal set up where the two streets meet. The idea would be to provide easier access to James Bay for residents.
The concept plans include cycling and pedestrian amenities along the arterial routes.
Victoria staff will work alongside B.C. Transit on the design before reporting back to council with a detailed plan in the first quarter of 2026.
The cost of the project is expected to be shared by B.C. Transit, the city and senior levels of government, though the federal government has indicated there will be no more transportation infrastructure funding available until 2026.
B.C. Transit says buses make up about three per cent of traffic but carry about 40 per cent of the people along the Douglas Street corridor each day.
It says bus ridership has been strong since it launched its rapid-bus service last year, with just over 10,000 passengers each day riding the 95 express bus that runs between the legislature and Langford Exchange. West Shore commuters are saving up to 20 minutes during peak morning and afternoon traffic with the help of the bus-priority lanes, the transit agency says.
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