A road-improvement project on Highway 14 totalling $85.7 million is entering the final design stage, with the last phase to go to tender this summer.
That phase includes widening, realignment and the addition of a median barrier on a 1.5-kilometre stretch from Connie Road to Glinz Lake Road. Also coming is resurfacing and shoulder widening along the more than 10 kilometres from Woodhaven Road to Otter Point Road, with tendering expected soon.
“We basically looked at areas where it had the highest crash rates and concerns around safety,” said Janelle Staite, regional deputy director for the Ministry of Transportation.
Another concern is the reliability of the corridor due to shutdowns, she said.
“It obviously impacts folks living in the Sooke area.”
Recent updates have been made to the project following feedback from Sooke-area residents through an open house and online comments.
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait said changes to the highway have been a long time coming.
“The project has been in the works for a number of years and we appreciate the level of engagement that the province has had with us,” she said.
Updated features include a pedestrian underpass just east of Glinz Lake Road/Polymede Place and a connector between Glinz Lake and Manzer roads for access to and from the highway.
The connector will also provide an emergency-detour route. Wider shoulders will also help with emergency response.
Also planned are larger culverts to give small animals such as raccoons and amphibians safe passage from one side of the highway to the other.
“This is where the road will be divided so you don’t want to see an animal trapped on one side,” Tait said.
There will be quite a difference to the road with the steps being taken, she said.
“It’s a much straighter line that is going in.”
Tait said some work has been going on within Sooke, as well, and there has been discussion for some time about sidewalk improvements.
Sooke has also been working independently, she said.
“We’re working on our own internal transportation master plan,” she said. “So I’m hoping that through that process we’ll be able to do other improvements as well as our park and trail plan, and look at how we can encourage more cycling and pedestrian traffic.”
Some important work on the Highway 14 corridor has already been completed, Tait said. “So the bus pullouts, safety signage, the rest area at Sombrio Beach, line painting, the bridge at Gillespie Road,” she said. “Sooke River Road is now signalized with improvements in all turn directions.”
They were part of $10 million in improvements announced in 2018.
That was followed in April 2019 with an announcement $30,233,000 in federal funding and $55,482,000 from the province for the additional work.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s $96-million McKenzie interchange project remains on schedule for a summer completion.
