514 replies to this topic

[gumgum]

I think the demand for homes drives suburban development. The transportation system just influences where that development will take place.

Only half true. Transport does follow demand, but it also influences and drives more development. It's a spiral.

[stormy]

It won't be long until everyone else starts doing that to try to get around the backlog of cars.

I know, which is why I am thoroughly basking in the pure joy of beating the crawl while I can.

[sebberry]

I've moved the E&N related posts to the E&N thread

Please continue any E&N related discussions there. Thanks

[HB]

I bypassed the gridlock there today . Going north take the exit to the Shell Station...drive parallel to the highway up and over the bridge then merge back in way past the backup.

[sdwright.vic]

I bypassed the gridlock there today . Going north take the exit to the Shell Station...drive parallel to the highway up and over the bridge then merge back in way past the backup.

True you can do that.. but the lanes are marked a right or left turn only, so I can see the potential for a lot of tickets to help pay for that overpass.

[LJ]

No different than some people do on Helmeken in the morning.

[stormy]

I bypassed the gridlock there today . Going north take the exit to the Shell Station...drive parallel to the highway up and over the bridge then merge back in way past the backup.

Im surprised. The markings are for left or right turns only. You would think that the middle one would have the left, plus straight through marking, but it doesn't. So I'm surprised that you did this, lol.

[stormy]

Im surprised. The markings are for left or right turns only. You would think that the middle one would have the left, plus straight through marking, but it doesn't. So I'm surprised that you did this, lol.

Sorry, was thinking of different section. Was too hot to sleep tonight so went for a drive and realised error.

[jaylow]

On friday about 3:30-4:00 pm, I saw the traffic backlog just before the exit to millstream and decided to take finlayson arm. I left at the same time as some friends who were in the traffic and I was at the Malahat Mountain Inn by the time they were at the Shell station

[Mike K.]

It was brutal. We were coming from the other direction and saw traffic backed up from the Shawnigan turn-off all the way to Millstream.

This region desperately needs a connector road of some sort between the west shore and Shawnigan. We've got several quality logging roads already that could be black-topped but unfortunately they run through the watershed.

[rjag]

Took me 2 1/2 hours to drive from Victoria to Cedar yesterday mid morning and 2 hours heading south, the 'hat was a mess, but it looked even worse going north and that was at 2:30

North of Duncan I calculated a 4km back-up because of paving and at least that size again for traffic heading north from Goldstream

[Sparky]

This region desperately needs a connector road of some sort between the west shore and Shawnigan.

There already is one.....it's called the Mill Bay Ferry. If you organize yourself, you can make a delightful journey out of it. Purchase a glove box full of tickets at Thrifty's in Central Saanich or the Shell station in Mill Bay and save 25% or more. Or take cash. No Plastic. Schedules online at http://www.bcferries...bmb-current.php

Stay off the Malahat until further notice.

[HB]

There already is one.....it's called the Mill Bay Ferry. If you organize yourself, you can make a delightful journey out of it. Purchase a glove box full of tickets at Thrifty's in Central Saanich or the Shell station in Mill Bay and save 25% or more. Or take cash. No Plastic. Schedules online at http://www.bcferries...bmb-current.php

Stay off the Malahat until further notice.

Exepctfor when its busy and you dont know it.
Yesterday I got to the Brentwood Ferry line up at 155pm for a 2:20 pm sailing Theye were about 53 cars in a line up for a ferry that takes less than 20 cars.

I drove the Malahat as that was going to get me nowhere faters but the line up was so very very long due to construction.

They are rushing the patch up job on the Malahat so that they can start on the new Kelowna Bridge before the by-election

[MarkoJ]

Must be brutal if you have to commute every day into town.

[gkz]

McCallum Road, looking south, Savory Rd T intersection visible


McCallum Road, looking north - right hand turn lane into future Bear Mtn Parkway blocked


Future Bear Mountain Parkway



"Development optimism" - leads into area between TC/Leigh/McCullum - looking toward interchange


Looking away from interchange - straight through lane to future Bear Mountain Parkway is blocked


Top of interchange, from Bear Mtn Parkway side


Looking from the bridge


Looking north from the bridge - you can see the divider ends long before the merge starts


On the bridge - it's 6 lanes + bike lanes!



Leigh Road


Leigh Road, looking toward the interchange


They're using artificial turf!


The new ambulance station




Leigh Road from Goldstream to the bridge is 3 lanes now (1+1+turning) - it has room to be converted to 2+2 in the future.

The 4 way stop between Leigh Road and Goldstream Ave is seriously misaligned. It also had quite a bit of traffic. I wouldn't be surprised to see it turn into a light in 5 or so years.

[sebberry]

Great photos, gkz, thanks for that!

[gkz]

Work continues on the Spencer Rd to TC southbound connection (reusing the acceleration/merge lane left over from the old intersection). Signs indicated this would be done by the end of July.

[sdwright.vic]

Its nice to see that at least the TC looks as if its prepared to be widened past the over pass. The bridge is wide enough and from where the dividers stop for the north bound merge lane.

[Bernard]

Logging roads are constructed to a very different standard than highways and simply blacktopping a logging road may sound easy, it is not a good solution.

Taking a logging road right of way and building a new 4 lane highway is a much better option and should be possible for $300,000,000 to $400,000,000 - much of this cost would be recouped simply with the reduction of waiting time for people currently using the road. Each truck delayed for an hour is a $80 - $120 cost.

[Mike K.]

So you're saying the cost to build a proper road through the watershed would cost upwards of $400 million?