Transportation

Complete Street Design on Victoria Avenue North

By Jason Leach
Published February 14, 2013

With the recent work on Victoria Avenue North between Barton and Birge, we have finally converted a four-lane freeway into a walkable, safe street with a nice bike lane.

Curbside parking, bike lanes and reduced driving lanes on Victoria
Curbside parking, bike lanes and reduced driving lanes on Victoria

I walked up and down this stretch and it's so much nicer than the other stretch of Victoria where traffic is faster, noisier and right next to the curb.

The bumpouts mean it is now a comfortable 25 feet to cross the road instead of 40+ feet.

Bumpouts and crosswalk markings make for safer crossings
Bumpouts and crosswalk markings make for safer crossings

We could make the bike lanes even safer and more welcoming by adding bollards or planters to protect the bike lanes from cars:

Bollards separate bike lanes from cars (Image Credit: BikeSD)
Bollards separate bike lanes from cars (Image Credit: BikeSD)

We could also make the bumpouts better by digging out a piece to plant street trees:

Street trees planted in bumpouts (Image Credit: Green Infrastructure Digest)
Street trees planted in bumpouts (Image Credit: Green Infrastructure Digest)

Well done Hamilton. Let's get this treatment onto the rest of Victoria along with Wellington, Cannon and Wilson.

Jason Leach was born and raised in the Hammer and currently lives downtown with his wife and children. You can follow him on twitter.

8 Comments

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By Conrad664 (registered) | Posted February 14, 2013 at 08:43:21

Now thats what is city living , nice and safe to walk and bike and cars going the wright speed but i still did not see 2 ways

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By JM (registered) | Posted February 14, 2013 at 10:43:34

WOW - did this really happen? how far down does this go?

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By Conrad664 (registered) | Posted February 14, 2013 at 10:52:48 in reply to Comment 86284

Victoria North beteen Barton and Birge along side of the General Hospital

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By jason (registered) | Posted February 14, 2013 at 12:38:56

Add in tree planters, bollards and extend this design on Victoria from it's southern-most point to Burlington Street. The quality of life in these neighbourhoods would increase dramatically overnight, and not impede traffic in the slightest.

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By MattM (registered) | Posted February 14, 2013 at 17:49:59

Those little changes make a huge difference. That street looks so much more urban now, it almost looks like a street in Toronto (how ridiculous is it that I have to say that?).

I really hope the city is planning on doing this to the rest the inner city's one-way streets.

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By jason (registered) | Posted February 14, 2013 at 22:38:49 in reply to Comment 86332

it totally reminded me of Vancouver or Portland, minus the trees and planters, but still that's the easy part. You're right. We should do this across the entire lower city.

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By Core-B (registered) | Posted February 14, 2013 at 23:25:59

I too think this is great but isn't this just one block long? Not a lot to get too excited about but at least it show promise.

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By PearlStreet (registered) | Posted February 19, 2013 at 11:56:35

I hope this continues down the length of Victoria, it is dangerous near J.C. Beemer Park with kids around. The momentim of traffic ripping through from the mountain is nuts.

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