46 replies to this topic

[mc9]

I drove down the new 'renovated' Tattersal the other day and it looks good! It makes the area look a bit more upscale. The sidewalks are fantastic. Wait. The sidewalks are fantastic? The fact that they have sidewalks is fantastic.

Now I am not originally from Victoria. I am used to places where sidewalks exist in every residential area. I am wondering what the history is behind much of the town not having any sidewalks at all?

[rjag]

I just drove it the other day as well. Looks good except I think they missed a great opportunity to bury the services instead of leaving it all above ground.

[ZGsta]

Yeah the new Tattersall is a huge improvement. That block looks completely different now.

[Bernard]

I am happy to see more sidewalks and specifically in Saanich. Though there are spots where the power lines should have been moved and not had the hydro pole in the middle of the sidewalk

[Mike K.]

Now I am not originally from Victoria. I am used to places where sidewalks exist in every residential area. I am wondering what the history is behind much of the town not having any sidewalks at all?

Victoria and Esquimalt built sidewalks everywhere, but Saanich and most of the other munis decided against them in all but the most trafficked neighbourhoods and now find themselves looking like backwaters without such basic infrastructure.

Near our office the sidewalk situation and general pedestrian/cycling environment is downright dangerous and the optics of it are embarrassing. I'll be sure to voice my opinion when I go to Saanich City Hall to renew our business license

[Bob Fugger]

Victoria and Esquimalt built sidewalks everywhere, but Saanich and most of the other munis decided against them in all but the most trafficked neighbourhoods and now find themselves looking like backwaters without such basic infrastructure.

Near our office the sidewalk situation and general pedestrian/cycling environment is downright dangerous and the optics of it are embarrassing. I'll be sure to voice my opinion when I go to Saanich City Hall to renew our business license

When did you guys move? I thought I saw a For Lease sign on your old spot...

[mc9]

"Saanich and most of the other munis decided against them in all but the most trafficked neighbourhoods"

What was the reasoning behind that decision?

[maniac78]

That stretch of Tattersal used to have sidewalks on one side only but they did exist.

[Mike K.]

What was the reasoning behind that decision?

Not sure. But I'm sure that when most of Saanich was being built out the automobile reigned and city leaders probably felt that pedestrians were suckers or kids and the car should take precedence.

When did you guys move? I thought I saw a For Lease sign on your old spot...

We moved out to Saanich in March.

[Mike K.]

When I went in to Saanich City Hall to pay for our business license and jokingly referred to the bill as "our contribution to Saanich's sidewalk fund."

The bureaucrats were pissed with my comment. Apparently mentioning the lack of sidewalk and general pedestrian infrastructure in Saanich raises the ire of Saanich municipal workers

This is a great example of the wonders of Saanich pedestrian infrastructure. Either you dart into the never ending stream of traffic to cross the road or you trudge through a muddy, uneven path until you get to Quadra. Either way, a man's got to get to the #6 bus stop somehow In all seriously, though, I feel very sorry for anyone with mobility issues having to negotiate through such an infrastructure network.

[maniac78]

Most drivers don't know this but every intersection in BC is a legal crosswalk. Drivers have to yield to someone crossing at a crosswalk.

[Sparky]

Most drivers don't know this but every intersection in BC is a legal crosswalk. Drivers have to yield to someone crossing at a crosswalk.

I heard a Victoria policeman refer to them as "unmarked crosswalks." I was also unaware up until then.

[Mike K.]

Christ fellas, when did you first get your license?

[jklymak]

Most drivers don't know this but every intersection in BC is a legal crosswalk. Drivers have to yield to someone crossing at a crosswalk.

Its true, most drivers do not know this. Unfortunately, I'm not brave enough to argue with them.

[Mike K.]

A police officer once told me the story of driving an unmarked police minivan when he stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross at an unmarked cross walk - in fact it was a T intersection with only one street flowing onto the main street. Anyhow, the driver behind him became irate and honked, then tailgated him. The officer pulled over, allowed the driver to pass him, then pulled in behind him and proceeded to make a traffic stop.

The driver was ticketed for dangerous driving (tailgating) and learned a little known traffic law that we speak of today.

[Sparky]

Christ fellas, when did you first get your license?

1965.....if there was no marked crosswalk....the pedestrians were fair game....75 points if I remember correctly.....85 if you could leave their walker standing.

[phx]

The bureaucrats were pissed with my comment. Apparently mentioning the lack of sidewalk and general pedestrian infrastructure in Saanich raises the ire of Saanich municipal workers

Bah... Saanich probably has more miles of sidewalk than Victoria.

[goke]

A fortune is being spent on widening 100 meters of sidewalk on Belleville street right now. They even cut down a few mature deciduous trees on the grass in front of the Clipper building. Does anybody have any idea what the point of this exercise is?

[mc9]

A fortune is being spent on widening 100 meters of sidewalk on Belleville street right now. They even cut down a few mature deciduous trees on the grass in front of the Clipper building. Does anybody have any idea what the point of this exercise is?

To allow more people to walk together in a group on the sidewalk/ and or pass each other without having to step on the road? Also, what were they turning the old Wax Museum building into again? Was it a ferry terminal? I can't remember, but anyway maybe the suspect there will be increased foot traffic there.

[mc9]

The officer pulled over, allowed the driver to pass him, then pulled in behind him and proceeded to make a traffic stop.

The driver was ticketed for dangerous driving (tailgating) and learned a little known traffic law that we speak of today.

There are times when I would just loooooooooooooooove to be able to do this to someone.