Transportation and Transit
Work on the $15-million project to improve safety on a portion of the Malahat Highway has begun, with tree clearing and excavation underway.
This project involves widening the highway and installing 2.3 kilometres of median barrier from Shawnigan Lake Road north to the Malahat Summit to improve safety in an area known locally as NASCAR Corner. The work also will include construction of a one-kilometre southbound passing lane extension and improvements to the Whittaker Road and Holker Place intersections.
Following tree clearing and excavation, rock blasting to widen the highway and paving will take place this summer. Median barrier is expected to be installed in the fall. All safety improvements will be completed by spring 2015. At that time, more than half of the Malahat will have median barrier.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the contractor are committed to minimizing traffics delays for families, visitors and commercial traffic during the busy summer months on this key Vancouver Island corridor. Construction is scheduled for off-peak travel hours where possible. However, motorists should expect some traffic delays as a result of construction and the summer traffic volumes.
An $8.3-million contract has been awarded to Dawson Construction Ltd. for the work. Including this project, the government has invested more than $33 million to improve the Malahat since 2001.
Quotes:
Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation and MLA for Comox Valley Don McRae -
“This project will improve safety on a particularly challenging section of the Malahat, and when complete, 50% of the highway will be divided with barrier. During construction, I urge motorists to respect our roadside workers and drive with caution through the construction site.”
Parksville-Qualicum MLA Michelle Stilwell -
“I drive the Malahat frequently so I appreciate these safety improvements, especially the addition of a median barrier. As this is the main transportation link between Greater Victoria and the rest of the island, this government has shown it is committed to looking at ways to improve the safety of the Malahat.”
A backgrounder follows.
Media Contacts:
Robert Adam
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241
(flickr.com) BACKGROUNDER
Malahat summer construction - what motorists can expect
Construction is underway on a $15-million project to improve safety on a section of the Malahat (Highway 1) from Shawnigan Lake Road north to the Malahat summit.
Motorists are advised that there is a construction zone speed limit of 60 km/h for the duration of the project.
Through the month of May, motorists can expect periodic delays of up to 10 minutes for tree clearing and excavation. In June, the Malahat Summit Rest area will be closed for the remainder of construction.
From June through September, crews will be blasting rock to widen the highway, followed by paving. The ministry is taking the following steps to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible:
- Southbound traffic will not be stopped between the peak hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.
- Northbound traffic will not be stopped between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
- There will be periodic delays of up to 20 minutes outside peak times from Monday to Friday.
- Starting June 15, traffic will not be stopped on Friday afternoons, Saturdays or Sundays.
- Traffic will not be stopped the day before, during and the day after long weekends.
The ministry thanks the public in advance for their patience during this important safety improvement project. Please obey flaggers and speed limits and watch for workers and highway message board updates.
Motorists are also advised to check DriveBC.ca and follow @tranbc on Twitter for more detailed information about work on the Malahat this summer.
A high-resolution map of the construction project is available at: https://flic.kr/p/mYjGZ8
Media Contacts:
Robert Adam
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-8241
