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Highway 4 at Cameron Bluffs closing 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on two days for removal of boulders

First of the two Highway 4 closings is on Thursday, Aug 17, the next is on Thursday, Aug 24.
Jeff Bell
Jeff Bell
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Scaling work continues at Cameron Lake Bluffs along Highway 4 on July 28, 2023. MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Two daytime full closings are coming up in the Cameron Bluffs area along Highway 4 to remove hazardous “refrigerator-sized” boulders, the Ministry of Transportation says.

About a dozen boulders need to be dealt with as part of ongoing rock-scaling — the removal of loose rock — on a portion of the bluffs known as Angel Rock.

Angel Rock has turned out to be the most challenging spot on the bluffs, which became unstable due to the wildfire that has been burning next to the bluffs since June.

The closings are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17, and Thursday, Aug. 24. A detour route is available on forest-service roads and private industrial roads between Lake Cowichan and Port Alberni via the Bamfield area.

“Rock scaling is a complex and labour-intensive process, requiring work on cliff faces to safely remove dangerous rock material, and can be carried out only in daylight hours and during favourable weather conditions,” the ministry said.

Rain and wind have caused work stoppages and full closings in the area in recent weeks.

Slope stabilization has so far included the removal of about 600 tonnes of rock-scaling debris and 200 dangerous trees. Work will also include the installation of 1.2 kilometres of fencing.

The two daytime closings on Highway 4 — which connects Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet to the rest of the Island — are at the location where single-lane alternating traffic was established last month. That spot will still have twice-daily shutdowns from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

The single lane will continue to stay open during weekends and overnight periods.

The wildfire initially led to a full highway closing, and the ministry responded by directing motorists to the detour. Single-lane access on Highway 4 was established about 21/2 weeks later.

Ministry officials had hoped to have the highway fully reopened by mid-August, but now expect that to come at the end of the month.

Jolleen Dick, chief executive of the Alberni Chamber of Commerce, said the highway closings have had a significant impact on business and tourism, but the chamber realizes the upcoming daytime closings “are necessary to get the work done.”

The expectation that a full highway opening is coming soon is a big relief, she said.

“Having that kind of certainty is helpful,” Dick said. “I understand that at the beginning you might not have the information or data or assessments to be able to appropriately advise and give a real estimate, but we’re pleased with this new estimate and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

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Updates are available at drivebc.ca, while details on the detour route are at gov.bc.ca/cameronbluffs.

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