Now that the summer peak travel period is over and traffic volumes are lower, the ministry will be reducing the highway to one lane in each direction on the Malahat between Aspen Road and Shawnigan Lake Road.

This traffic pattern change will take effect after the Thanksgiving long weekend and remain in place 24/7 until the May long weekend in 2018. This is in order to ensure blasting activities can be completed safely and to provide clear and consistent lanes for drivers through the project during the winter months when visibility is often reduced by weather conditions. Intermittent traffic stoppages are also required for blasting but will occur outside peak periods (6 a.m. to 9 a.m. southbound and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. northbound).

Drivers can still expect delays of up to 20 minutes during construction. The ministry asks motorists to please watch out for workers, obey the construction speed zone of 60 km/h at all times, and use both lanes up to the merge point and then alternate when merging (like a zipper) for best efficiency. For current conditions and up-to-date traffic advisories, visit the DriveBC website: http://www.drivebc.ca/

The ministry appreciates the patience of all travellers while construction continues on the safety improvements through the Malahat village on Highway 1.