11042 replies to this topic

[lanforod]

http://www.icbc.com/...different_rules

[Nparker]

...If it had a valid BC plate on it though that was not an ebike or assisted electric scooter. So it is not allowed in the bike lanes...

Well it was a licensed scooter that I saw in the Pandora bike lane around 11:15 this morning.

[sebberry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaqHv_l_4A4

[LJ]

I see a guy riding one of those electric scooters on the E and N rail trail all the time, definitely not allowed.

[Ismo07]

I see a guy riding one of those electric scooters on the E and N rail trail all the time, definitely not allowed.

Are you sure they are not allowed?

 

https://crd.bc.ca/do...es.pdf?sfvrsn=0

[lanforod]

^ licensed ones (eg. not speed limited to 32, but rather to 70) are not allowed on it. So it depends on what category this scooter LJ sees is.

[Bingo]

Where is nagel these days?  We need this thing settled.

[Coreyburger]

Bike lanes can be used by electric bikes provided they still meet the definition of electric bikes, which means pedals cannot be disabled and the motor governor is still in place. Most scooter-like ebikes I have seen don't meet this definitions.

[sdwright.vic]

^gee... were you on vacation? Wondering when you would finally jerp in.

[LJ]

Are you sure they are not allowed?

 

https://crd.bc.ca/do...es.pdf?sfvrsn=0

Yeah, I'm sure. These have no pedals at all, they look like a little Vespa but they are electrically powered.

[Mike K.]

The opportunity to bid on the construction of the Fort Street protected bike lane ends on Thursday.

[Nparker]

The opportunity to bid on the construction of the Fort Street protected bike lane ends on Thursday.

Will this proceed even if all bids are well above budget - or will it be treated like the Douglas Street BRT lanes expansion?

[Mike K.]

I would imagine the City of Victoria will attempt to push this through even if it comes in in excess of the budget. The bus lane was provincial money, and they know better than to send out a smoke signal indicating that the government is willing to play at any cost.

 

The City of Victoria, on the other hand, gave that signal when they move forward with the Pandora bike lane despite the huge increase in cost.

 

There was also one other government project that was recently sidelined due to high construction costs. Anyone remember what that was?

[Nparker]

So it's bikes before buses, even though the latter has the potential to move more people?

[shoeflack]

I would imagine the City of Victoria will attempt to push this through even if it comes in in excess of the budget. The bus lane was provincial money, and they know better than to send out a smoke signal indicating that the government is willing to play at any cost.

 

The City of Victoria, on the other hand, gave that signal when they move forward with the Pandora bike lane despite the huge increase in cost.

 

There was also one other government project that was recently sidelined due to high construction costs. Anyone remember what that was?

 

Second southbound turn lane on Millstream overpass.

 

So it's bikes before buses, even though the latter has the potential to move more people?

 

That's not a fair comparison. To Mike's point, it's two different governing bodies. Two different budgets.

[Mike K.]

^ah, that's it! Thanks shoe.

 

Let's do the math here on the Victoria bike lanes.

 

The City of Victoria has budgeted $7.75-million for a 5.4km protected bike lane network down several downtown corridors. This is just the first phase.

 

The first bike lane of the first phase, Pandora, was budgeted at $2.09-million in April of 2016, then adjusted to $2.99-million just as the tender went out in June. The winning (and only) bid was $3.23-million, 55% higher than the April estimate and 8% higher than the June estimate.

 

Out of that $7.75-million budget we've already spent $3.23-million on a single lane, leaving Wharf, Humboldt, Fort and Cook streets to share the remaining $4.52-million.

 

My guess at the cost of the Fort Street bike lane is $3.6-million.

[Nparker]

...That's not a fair comparison. To Mike's point, it's two different governing bodies. Two different budgets.

So is it the city or the province that is contributing no money to the bike lanes on Fort?

[Mike K.]

I think there is a provincial contribution to the overall budget, but I'm not sure just how much it actually is. But once the province ponies up cash it no longer has any so on whether the CoV accepts or rejects tenders. They've made their financial commitment and that's it.

[Nparker]

Well it's the same taxpayer regardless of which level of government is contributing the money.

 

Kind of like the Commonwealth Games. I am paying part of the Fed's $400 million, the Province's $400 million and any costs borne by the CoV and the CRD. It's a lose-lose-lose-lose proposition.

[rjag]

So while its all rainbows and unicorns with a 'must build whatever the cost' mantra, the rest of the roads are in terrible shape and only getting worse.