On a short stretch of Lochside Regional Trail, just off the south side of Quadra Street, near McKenzie Avenue, there’s a hovering wall of rock.
In recent months, chunks of that rock wall have tumbled down. And during a windstorm, a big limb from a big tree cracked off, coming precariously close to the trail. Maybe it was right on the trail at one point, but by the time I rode by, it had been sawn back.
Some temporary netting went up.
And now, two sections of the southbound lane have been sectioned off with big concrete blocks, so that crews can stabilize the rock wall. The work, which includes removing loose material and cutting down that big tree, is scheduled to continue until at least March 15.
The northbound lane appears to be open much of the time, and trail users, from what I’ve observed, have mostly been polite about sharing the single lane. Some cyclists even stop until pedestrians going in the other direction have cleared the construction zone.
Occasionally, during non-peak times, according to the Capital Regional District, the trail is completely blocked.
I’ve encountered some of those full-closings, which have forced on-the-fly detours on busy streets that don’t have bike lanes.
Lochside trail, connecting to the Galloping Goose, is a convenient, pleasant way to get downtown, so I use it all the time when I bicycle.
Cycling along car-friendly McKenzie Avenue, Saanich Road and Quadra Street last week has reminded me of how much I appreciate Lochside trail. It was also a reminder that, despite the occasional tensions between cyclists and motorists, Greater Victoria is a relatively friendly place for bicyclists.
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Email me at pjang@timescolonist.com
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