Douglas Street, a major corridor in Victoria, is undergoing significant transit upgrades to prioritize bus travel and improve overall transportation efficiency. A dedicated 24/7 bus lane is planned from Hillside Avenue to Herald Street by 2025, with further improvements proposed up to Belleville Street.
Currently, buses carry 40% of travelers on Douglas Street despite making up only 3% of traffic. The city aims to enhance transit services to meet future transportation goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting transit-oriented development. The plan includes streetscape renewal to address aging infrastructure and improve the overall experience for pedestrians and transit users. To accommodate dedicated bus lanes, some street parking spaces will be removed due to underutilization and to ensure smoother traffic flow. Additionally, efforts are being made to reduce private vehicle movements in the downtown area, with proposals for parkades and new parking spaces.
These upgrades aim to improve transit service quality, customer experience, and encourage increased ridership while supporting urban densification goals.
