McKenzie Avenue undergoing upgrades

Access to the University of Victoria campus will be vastly improved and safer when major upgrades along McKenzie Avenue by the District of Saanich are completed later this fall.

UVic acknowledges there will be disruptions during construction and is advising that people consider alternative routes to and from the university until the work is complete.For everyone’s safety, people are urged to use caution in construction areas, follow posted signs and the direction of traffic controllers.

“We appreciate people’s patience with the inconvenience as the work by Saanich on Mackenzie Avenue progresses,” says Ron Proulx, executive director of facilities management. “These improvements will benefit the students, staff and faculty who work and study at the university, as well as the neighbouring community, for years to come.”

The work is intended to make McKenzie Avenue a more effective multi-use transportation corridor with improved overall safety, efficiency and aesthetics. New buffered bikes lanes in both directions will increase cyclist safety on what was previously a narrow road, while wider pathways on both sides of McKenzie Avenue and at McCoy Road are expected to benefit pedestrians.

For motorists, a new roundabout at Finnerty Road and new centre turn-off lanes are designed to keep traffic flowing smoothly. Landscaped medians and new trees are being planted by Saanich in partnership with UVic to further  ‘green’ the corridor. Saanich also considered sustainability in planning its project, by better managing and treating storm water runoff along the enhanced corridor.

Unrelated to the work on McKenzie Avenue, effective Sept. 3 BC Transit will redirect all McKenzie-bound buses enroute to the university directly to the Finnerty exchange, rather than around Ring Road. Those buses will get priority through the construction zone.

More information about the McKenzie Avenue upgrades is available on the District of Saanich website.