FAQs

This site was identified as the preferred location for a Sidney Transit Hub in 2022 during BC Transit’s Peninsula Local Area Transit Plan(External link). This location had the highest support from Sidney and Peninsula residents for the Sidney RapidBus Station location. Having RapidBus stop on Fifth Street or on the highway were also considered but had less community support. BC Transit partnered with the Town of Sidney in 2023 to complete a feasibility study for the Transit Hub, which led to Sidney Council supporting the Transit Hub concept in June 2024. The location of the Transit Hub was determined by the following principles:

• Feasibility – the availability of space for a transit exchange
• Rider Experience – this includes pedestrian connections to the sites, amenities available around the sites, and connectivity to bus routes and stop locations.
• Town of Sidney Plans - Alignment with the Town’s land use and transportation plans.
• Community – the impacts to adjacent buildings and tenants was considered as well as changes to parking
• Cost – the construction costs as well as operating costs of the bus routes.

How will transit service change?

Many of the bus routes that serve Sidney already go through the location of the new Transit Hub which means that there will be minimal changes to Routes 71, 82, 83, 85, 87 and 88.

Route 70 is planned to evolve into the Peninsula RapidBus Line. Once built, the Route 70 will stop at the Transit Hub instead of at its current location on Fifth Street at Beacon Avenue. This allows a faster and more reliable transit service and also creates a larger passenger waiting area for this popular route.

Routes 72 and 81 currently go through Downtown Sidney on Fifth Street. We are still determining if these routes will change so that they stop at the new Transit Hub or if we will keep the current routing.

The Transit Hub design improves the safety of the Seventh Street and Bevan Avenue intersection by adjusting the street design to slow down drivers as they exit the highway and by creating safer crosswalks. These safety improvements cause two vehicle turns to no longer be allowed.

Vehicles will no longer be able to turn left from Bevan Avenue into the Mary Winspear Centre’s north entrance. Drivers wanting to turn left from Bevan Avenue into the Mary Winspear Centre will still be allowed to turn left into the south entrance and use the traffic circle if they need to get to the drop-off zone at the front door.

Vehicles will no longer be able to turn left from Bevan Avenue onto Seventh Street. Most drivers that currently make this turn then use the laneway to get to the shopping centre. Drivers coming from the highway will be required to enter the shopping centre from Beacon Avenue or Bevan Avenue. 

The Transit Hub will be designed to meet Security Achieved through Functional Environmental (SAFE) Design standards, as required by BC Transit. This means that Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles and best practices for designing safe and comfortable public spaces will be used including:

• Increased usage from transit passengers will activate the space and that can make it safer.
• Enhanced security items will be implemented to deter off-hours gathering.
• Upgraded and attractive lighting can also be integrated at transit exchanges and within all open spaces to enhance safety, visibility, and public experience.

We know that local businesses are important to the Sidney community, and we’re committed to keeping everyone informed throughout the project. There may be some construction activity and changes to traffic patterns, but we’ll work hard to keep disruptions to a minimum. We are currently seeking feedback from community stakeholders and will use this input to refine the design of the Transit Hub. Please find more information below about how to contact us with your thoughts. Our goal is to make this project a success for everyone in Sidney.

The focal point of the Transit Hub is where the Town of Sidney’s Parking Lot E is currently located. The parking lot currently has 37 parking stalls, which will be reduced to 15 parking stalls with the new Transit Hub. An accessible parking stall will be retained. On-street parking on Bevan Avenue is planned to be reduced by 3 – 5 spaces.

The 2022 Sidney Downtown Parking Study(External link) found that Parking Lot E is Sidney’s least used parking lot. During peak times, the on-street parking stalls on Bevan Avenue were 50-85% occupied which was less than the higher demand locations which are located east of Fifth Street.

• Maintaining existing trees will be a priority.
• Existing trees will be assessed during the detailed design phase to determine which trees can be retained and which trees need to be replaced.

A construction plan will be developed after the design is complete and funding is approved. Construction could begin in 2027 or later.

Right now, we're still in the design phase—which means we're collecting feedback and figuring out exactly how the Hub will look and operate. During construction, the public can expect some traffic impacts and possible delays. Local access will be maintained.