Veteran’s Memorial Parkway at Goldstream Avenue Active Transportation Improvements

About This Project:

Veterans Memorial Parkway (Highway 14) and Goldstream Avenue (formerly Highway 1A) in the City of Langford is a large, high‑traffic intersection that was constructed around the Esquimalt and Nanaimo (E&N) Railway to its current arrangement in 2002.

This intersection serves as an essential connection between established active transportation routes, with the E&N Regional Trail crossing from the southwest corner to the northeast corner, and painted bike lanes along both Goldstream Avenue and Veterans Memorial Parkway. These routes connect several key destinations within the City of Langford, including the downtown area, the neighbouring transit exchange and commercial hub on Station Avenue, as well as the Mill Hill residential and recreational areas.

Historically, this walking and cycling route consisted of long, pedestrian painted crosswalks routed around the rail infrastructure. While confident cyclists could navigate this arrangement, the intersection fell short of meeting the needs of vulnerable road users such as children, senior citizens, or people with mobility challenges.

These challenges are apparent when looking at the historic design of the intersection, but they are also highlighted in the data.

Our Approach

This intersection has many competing interests, managing conflicts between highway traffic and a busy arterial road, an inactive rail line, as well as a high-traffic active transportation systems and a recreation corridor. In order to retrofit this intersection to ensure accessibility for all users, the project team looked at design through a ‘Safe Systems’ lens.

The ‘Safe Systems’ approach is about using design as a tool to reduce both the likelihood and severity of conflicts, while recognizing that people make mistakes and so ensuring designs are still forgiving. What this means in practice is reducing vehicle speeds through conflict areas, adding separation between vehicles and vulnerable road users, and adding controls to remove conflicts altogether.

Some of the key features of the design include:

• Shorter crossing distances
• Curb extensions
• Separate crossings for people cycling
• Integration of ‘No Right Turns on Red’ signage
• Median refuge islands
• Wider corner islands with more space and improved accessibility
• Tactile indicators for people with vision impairment challenges

2. Curb Extensions

The sidewalk and mixed-use area for cyclist was extended into the roadway. This allows people walking, cycling, pushing strollers, or using mobility devices to have more room and be more visible drivers.

5. Median Refuge Islands

A safe space in the middle of the intersection allows people to cross in two stages if they need a little bit of extra time. Raised concrete ends also encourage people driving to take tighter turns, which reduces their turn speed and improves the safety of people crossing.