The City of Colwood recognizes the importance of expanding our pedestrian network to ensure that walking is a safe and convenient transportation choice for the citizens and visitors in the City. Improvements are guided by the Colwood Transportation Master Plan.
Sidewalk initiatives one important way we work to achieve our community's broader objectives around active transportation, safety, health, accessibility, sustainability, environmental protection and economic prosperity.
In 2024 the City constructed 1,105 metres of new sidewalk on Lagoon Road, Hagel Road and Kelly Road, with funding support from the Canada Community-Building Fund. An additional 2,260 metres were enabled and funded by development projects in Colwood for a combined total of 3,365 meters of new safe routes to school.
Active Transportation Plan
An Active Transportation Plan outlines priority routes where new sidewalks and bike lanes will be designed and constructed over the next ten years. Read more at www.colwood.ca/ActiveTransportation
Determining sidewalk priorities
Current plans focus on strategic expansion of the City’s sidewalk network, to make the best use of resources where they will have the greatest positive impact.
New sidewalk locations are generally prioritized based on:
- immediate proximity to schools and parks
- immediate proximity to transit routes
- density of land use in the area (apartments, townhouses, small lots, etc.)
- whether redevelopment is expected to occur soon
- upgrades required based on traffic studies by qualified engineering professionals
Narrowing intersections on local streets improves safety
Intersection design is one way to reduce vehicle speeds and improve pedestrian conditions. Reducing the radius of the corners while adhering to transportation standards for road width results in the following benefits:
- Slower turning speeds, reinforcing the requirement to come to a stop.
- Shorter pedestrian crossings.
- Improved sight lines for drivers.
Read more in this article from Strong Towns.
Developments
Many sidewalks in Colwood are built through development of the adjacent land. When land along most roads is subdivided or rezoned, the developer must construct the road frontage to the City's current standard, which usually consists of paving, curb and gutter, grass boulevard and street trees, streetlights, and sidewalks.
Since the developer is only required to make improvements directly adjacent to the property, there are often temporary gaps in the sidewalk spanning undeveloped properties.
Ministry of Transportation
The Ministry of Transportation is responsible for maintenance and repair of the following streets and sidewalks within Colwood:
- Veterans Memorial Parkway between Kelly Road and Sooke Road
- Sooke Road between Veterans Memorial Parkway and Jacklin Road
For inquiries about these Ministry of Transportation maintained routes and interchanges, contact the Saanich Area Office at 250-952-4515.
Contact Colwood Engineering
Contact the Engineering Department by email at engineering@colwood.ca or by phone at 250-478-5999 for more on sidewalks in Colwood.