Plans for a major overhaul on Shelbourne Street through Saanich have been finalized.
"The idea is to provide a shared roadway for pedestrians, for cyclists, for transit and for cars," said councilor Colin Plant the morning after the Monday night vote.
Council approved the so-called "option 3" for the Shelbourne Corridor upgrades between North Dairy Road to the south and Feltham Road to the north. That option was developed after two previous plans were met with opposition from the public. Plant says a lot of that opposition was because of proposed traffic lane reductions, ""this is a compromise, certainly. Earlier phases had a lot more of the two land and three lane options."
The plan they've settled on keeps four traffic lanes for 65% of the route. It also features pedestrian improvements and a continuous bike lane down Shelboune, much of it physically separated from vehicle traffic.
Plant says the project has a budget of $12.5 million dollars, but they're hoping to secure grants to offset some of those costs.
He adds it's going to be at least another year before we see any construction. In the meantime, they need to put finishing touches on plans and acquire land needed in some areas.