3759 replies to this topic

[Darren14]

The challenge might be, from what I think I recall, is the highway ends where the lanes would re-merge, creating a massive bottleneck there. It’s easier if the re-merge is at a point where there’s less highway traffic and traffic can just continue to flow.

Like it would work northbound if the Malahat had more than one lane.

 

When going into town in the morning it seems to clear up after the Mckenzie overpass exit. So my thought was having an exit point there just when you get up that hump from the overpass where in theory is 3 lanes for a short period of time for the tillcum exit/mckenzie off ramp, Which then would also be the entrance when going northbound to bypass the merge at Mckenzie.

 

 

My thought for the remerge going north was when it turns to 3 lanes just past the overpass above where Burnside Rd W turns into the Island highway, As during rushout you lose a decent amount of traffic from the view royal/colwood exit, and the entrance point for going south could also be there or further up by millstream overpass. 

[Victoria Watcher]

Raymond J. de Souza: Guilbeault looks to maintain Canada's Third World road network

How can a Montreal MP suggest that our roads are in any way 'adequate'?

https://nationalpost...ld-road-network

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 February 2024 - 11:41 AM.

[Darren14]

The design was due by today for the south Shawnigan overpass... I'm assuming if it's done it should be released soon?

[Mike K.]

Interesting.

Due as in display for the public, or due as in delivered to the Province?

Also, we should take bets on when it’ll be completed.

I’m going to say 2031.

[Darren14]

Interesting.

Due as in display for the public, or due as in delivered to the Province?

Also, we should take bets on when it’ll be completed.

I’m going to say 2031.

 

I'm just going by the TC article about the overpass for couple years ago that stated

 

 

 

The province hopes to have a contract in place by the end of January and a detailed design completed by March 2024.

 

The fact we haven't heard anything since... Probably means it got delayed?

 

2034 because I have no faith 

[Nparker]

I moved to Brentwood Bay in 1978. They were talking about a Keating X Road flyover then. 

[Victoria Watcher]

Creating Thunder Road on Doncaster Drive

 

 

Saanich council has decided that the section of Doncaster Drive, north of Derby Road, is in need of “traffic calming.”

 

This will entail installation of seven speed humps over less than 1,000 metres of roadway. There is also the apparent “requisite” of adding about 20 new signs, most on new 10-foot poles, on this short stretch of a relatively quiet street.

 

So there will then be 45 or more traffic control signs littering the landscape there, to keep us safe. Safe from what I don’t know. ICBC crash statistics say there was a single fender-bender on this part of Doncaster over five years.

 

This is contrary to statements on the Saanich website:

 

“Generally, we no longer install speed humps on our streets. We have found through experience that they have some negative effects for traffic and neighbourhoods: Each speed hump can delay a large fire truck up to 10 seconds; cars driving over the speed humps are noisy; SUVs and trucks can still drive over them quite quickly.”

 

An initial email to Saanich Engineering concerning potential roadway flooding issues from erecting, effectively, a dam between the street that runs like a river at times and the adjacent storm drain went unanswered.

 

A subsequent email pointing out the anticipated “thump-thump” noise issues and tremors originating 15 metres from my pillow and including a video of the “river” running during a brief thundershower did eventually get a response, basically “Too Bad-So Sad.”

 

So to all of those unfortunate residents of Doncaster Drive with a hump arriving outside their front door … sleep well.

 

Welcome to Thunder Road.

 

 

https://www.timescol...at-uvic-8713597

 

 

Ray Morgan

Saanich

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 May 2024 - 03:30 AM.

[Mike K.]

We’re about to see how the closure of Douglas northbound at Belleville will be like once it closes to car traffic.

A sewage block has forced the closure of Wharf northbound at Broughton. That means traffic has to divert via Douglas or Blanshard. This is what the congestion will be like once Douglas is closed.

Get out there and check it out.

[Victoria Watcher]

Although I think it’s silly, I’m not sure the lower Douglas closure would be the end of the world.

I used to live in James Bay. There are other ways out.

[Mike K.]

Did you live there before or after Vancouver closed to through traffic?

And before or after Government closed to through traffic?

[Victoria Watcher]

Before both events.

[Mike K.]

From BC Transit:

🔹Island Highway through View Royal, and thereafter Colwood, to get re-work with pedestrian, cycling and bus improvements🔹

Construction on the first phase of infrastructure mode changes along the Island Highway will begin this summer in View Royal. Work will expand sidewalks, add cycling infrastructure and improvements to for transit passengers. More from BC Transit:

The infrastructure upgrades in View Royal along the Island Highway that will support RapidBus service through the West Shore will start the week of June 24. Don Mann Excavating Ltd. has been hired as the contractor that will oversee the construction that is expected to be completed this winter.



Last year, the Federal Government, the Province and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission announced a joint investment of more than $13.2 million to support transit improvements along the Island Highway in View Royal and Colwood.



Phase 1 of the project scope includes dedicated transit and bike lanes on the Island Highway in both travel directions in View Royal and phase 2 will include queue jump lanes on the Island Highway in both travel directions at Wale Road in Colwood. While construction for phase 1 of the project will start this summer, the planning and design process for the Colwood section is still underway. An update on the phase 2 section in Colwood will be made in the coming months.



Important improvements to also increase pedestrian safety and access to transit services include:


Widening sidewalks
Adding accessible wheelchair ramp cuts at intersection crossings
Intersection configuration improvements
Crosswalk signage
Road painting
New street lighting and traffic signals
Landscaping refurbishments of affected adjacent properties resulting from new installations


Affected utility infrastructure will also be relocated and adjusted to suit the new highway improvements.



During construction, some traffic impacts and delays can be expected, but local access to businesses in the area will be maintained and accessible pedestrian detours will be in place. Electronic signage boards will be put in place to notify the travelling public. As this is one of the corridors that BC Transit also uses, customers should check for customer alerts that will advise them of any changes or delays to routes.

[Mike K.]

Work on Blanshard Street’s rejuvenation is starting this month.

https://www.victoria...-session-atrium

[Nparker]

[max.bravo]

From BC Transit:

Island Highway through View Royal, and thereafter Colwood, to get re-work with pedestrian, cycling and bus improvements

Construction on the first phase of infrastructure mode changes along the Island Highway will begin this summer in View Royal. Work will expand sidewalks, add cycling infrastructure and improvements to for transit passengers. More from BC Transit:

The infrastructure upgrades in View Royal along the Island Highway that will support RapidBus service through the West Shore will start the week of June 24. Don Mann Excavating Ltd. has been hired as the contractor that will oversee the construction that is expected to be completed this winter.



Last year, the Federal Government, the Province and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission announced a joint investment of more than $13.2 million to support transit improvements along the Island Highway in View Royal and Colwood.



Phase 1 of the project scope includes dedicated transit and bike lanes on the Island Highway in both travel directions in View Royal and phase 2 will include queue jump lanes on the Island Highway in both travel directions at Wale Road in Colwood. While construction for phase 1 of the project will start this summer, the planning and design process for the Colwood section is still underway. An update on the phase 2 section in Colwood will be made in the coming months.



Important improvements to also increase pedestrian safety and access to transit services include:


Widening sidewalks
Adding accessible wheelchair ramp cuts at intersection crossings
Intersection configuration improvements
Crosswalk signage
Road painting
New street lighting and traffic signals
Landscaping refurbishments of affected adjacent properties resulting from new installations


Affected utility infrastructure will also be relocated and adjusted to suit the new highway improvements.



During construction, some traffic impacts and delays can be expected, but local access to businesses in the area will be maintained and accessible pedestrian detours will be in place. Electronic signage boards will be put in place to notify the travelling public. As this is one of the corridors that BC Transit also uses, customers should check for customer alerts that will advise them of any changes or delays to routes.

Surprised they haven't yet decided to 'improve' Island Hwy by reducing from 1 lane each direction, to single lane alternating traffic.

 

I sure hope the dedicated bike and bus lanes don't take away space from the beautiful lane-wide garden planters currently installed in the middle of the road through view royal... highways are for flowers, not buses!

[Victoria Watcher]

No plans to change Saanich intersection, site of most crashes on Island

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is monitoring the situation


https://www.vicnews....-island-7441212



Seems to be it should at least be looked at.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 July 2024 - 12:12 PM.

[FogPub]

^Do those top-ten crash lists ever take into account traffic volume?  As in, number of crashes per 1000 vehicles that pass through the intersection?

 

If not, all you're getting is more or less a list of the busiest intersections rather than the most dangerous ones.

[Mike K.]

That’s a very good point.

[Mike K.]

It looks like the province has given up on repairing a bridge in the interior, damaged in the fall 2021 storm.

 

Press release:

 

A 400-metre section of Quesnel-Hixon Road is being permanently closed, and the Cottonwood River Canyon Bridge is being taken out of service.

 

The road was damaged in 2021 by a landslide that caused severe distortion and displacement of the road just south of the Cottonwood River Canyon Bridge, forcing closure of the road and bridge.

 

After three years of planning under the Cariboo Road Recovery Project, it was found that reopening the road would require hundreds of millions of dollars for new road and bridge construction. To ensure public safety and manage taxpayer funds wisely, a decision was made to permanently close this section of the road.

 

Ten Mile Lake Road, Olson Road, Morgan Road and Plett Road continue to provide access to Highway 97 and accommodate traffic volumes. The ministry is considering additional safety improvements in the area.

[JimV]

Work on Blanshard Street’s rejuvenation is starting this month.

https://www.victoria...-session-atrium

I experienced a brief moment of euphoria until I read your link.  Apart from the exasperating non- synchronized lights and the crumbling, rutted paving Blanshard has remained the one north/south artery permitting relatively easy access in and out of James Bay.

 

But now I see that CoV is correcting that oversight.  Bike lanes, trees, lane markings, etc to constrict traffic and increase the hell that is driving in downtown Victoria.  And just to be sure that no one tries a work around they’re now in the process of obstructing the intersection of Southgate and Quadra.  Yesterday I noticed that they have installed another unnecessary stop sign on Southgate, a dangerous looking road obstruction and have painted out the left turn lane onto Quadra.  The next move may be to eliminate the left turn altogether.

 

My hope is that in some alternate universe the roads department, especially the dark Webb, and all supporting council members will be tarred, feathered and run out of town on splintery fence rails.