172 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Three new webcams are now active at the new highway span on Highway 14, at Glinz Lake Road.

[Mike K.]

Highway shut down west of the four lanes, east of Kangaroo. Detour via Metchosin or East Sooke.

An MVI has knocked over a hydro pole.

[Mike K.]

Paving is going to wrap up soon, and the new four-lane portion of Highway 14 will open to traffic between Connie and Glinz Lake roads.

This highway has seen over $120 million in improvements since 2017. And it needs far, far more work due to rapid population growth in Sooke (roughly 10,000 people in 2011, and over 15,000 as of 2021, not including Shirley, Otter Point, East Sooke, Metchosin and Jordan River).

[Citified.ca]

New four-lane section of Highway 14/Sooke Road between Langford and Sooke nears full opening to traffic

https://victoria.cit...ing-to-traffic/

[Mike K.]

The new four-lane section of Highway 14 has opened fully to traffic. From the province:

Motorists are advised that two new lanes between Connie Road and Glinz Lake Road on Highway 14 near Sooke will open for travel on Friday, July 14, 2023.

All lanes of Highway 14 will be open by midday, with the posted speed limit restored to its previous 60 km/h, up from a construction speed limit of 50 km/h. New median barriers and paint lines are in place.

Additionally, bus stops will be active throughout the site and a new 45-stall park and ride will open.

This marks another step toward the full completion of the Highway 14 corridor improvements expected in the coming weeks.

[Mike K.]

Lol.

Good gravy, politics is so unfortunately comedic sometimes. 🎭

Can someone who’s an expert at Twitter explain why Rob Fleming’s name is below Parmar’s image?

[LJ]

Parmar taking credit and he is not even sworn in yet, gotta love politics.

[AllseeingEye]

Drove it this weekend for the first time since this stretch of new road was completed; must say its pretty nice and a big improvement over what it used to be. I still shake my head at the attitudes and 'abilities' or lack thereof in terms of the latter, with regard to many Victoria drivers.

 

On FB a week or so ago I read post after post after post whining and snivelling and crying about the fact the new 4-lane stretch - which is all of just over 1.5 kilometers, is limited to 60kph. Um.....yeah.....AND?!? So what? It was a very pleasant drive on a nice Sunday morning, the dozen or so vehicles in the cohort that we were part of were all more than content driving that speed. We were roughly in the middle and as far as I could tell none of us exceeded the posted limit by anything more than a click or three.

 

Its not a friggin' race. Its not an F1 course or a fuel rail dragster strip, its still (largely, overwhelmingly) a two-lane road to a small town slightly smaller than Oak Bay. Relax, take it easy, resist the urge to "put the hammer down" and enjoy the drive and the scenery. If your day absolutely cannot be considered complete and fulfilled without smashing the accelerator down to and through the floor I suggest you get a membership in the Cowichan Valley/VI Motorsport Circuit....

[Mike K.]

Yup, people drive it like they have to beat their best time each time.

From a local’s perspective, it does get a little creaky when the road can easily handle 65-70 99% of the way, but the car in front of you takes the corners at 55, because the driver has never driven the road. I don’t care to drive Hwy 14 fast but the locals can do it with their eyes closed.

Now they province has to add either a centre turning lane or another four-lane section in the Saseenos area and it’ll be a great highway. Also in the town, the volume of traffic is so heavy now that there absolutely has to be a bypass road that avoids Highway 14 through the town centre. It can be bumper to hunger traffic all the way from Whiffin Spit Road through to Sooke River Road. That’s cray.

[lanforod]

That is crazy. I’ve never seen that, what time/days of the week does that happen?

[Mike K.]

In the early AM, and at any time generally on weekends when you get a confluence of traffic coming in from Shirley/JR for shopping, and campers swinging into town.

On the opposite end, the road regularly backs up from the Esso station to Otter Point Road from about 2-5:30. There are no through-roads, so everyone funnels onto the 14 to cross a two lane bridge.

[Mike K.]

A pretty bad accident yesterday during rush hour, at the west end of the new four-lane section of highway 14. A driver behind the wheel of a transport vehicle of some kind, reportedly pulled some sort of a stunt and ended up crashing. A chopper had to be called out to transport him to hospital.

 

A witness said he pulled ahead of her in traffic, and into oncoming traffic, but where he crashed he was well past the median splitting the highway. Sounds like we'll have to wait for more info.

[Victoria Watcher]

Sooke's Whiffin Spit to close Monday for cleanup

The trail and parking lot with be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday.

https://www.timescol...cleanup-8141307

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 January 2024 - 01:06 AM.

[Mike K.]

On April 8th, says Mayor Maja Tait, representatives from the Ministry of Transportation will present council with updates on Highway 14's ongoing and future improvements.

 

"I can appreciate that this will raise a concern for many, in particular with the traffic challenges those commuting face. I recognize the frustrations you deal with daily, and I’m pleased to announce that representatives from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be attending our April 8th Council meeting to discuss ongoing and upcoming Highway 14 projects," Tait wrote as part of the mayor's monthly update.

 

"Understanding the short-, medium-, and long-term solutions being considered will allow us to align our efforts more effectively as we work towards improving the quality of life for all residents."

[Citified.ca]

 

Province to unveil improvement plans for heavily congested Highway 14 at Sooke council meeting

https://victoria.cit...ouncil-meeting/

[Victoria Watcher]

Transportation Ministry set to update Sooke council on Highway 14 plans

Representatives will provide council with the latest details in upcoming April 8 meeting

https://www.vicnews....4-plans-7335121

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 March 2024 - 12:51 AM.

[Mike K.]

Some serious under-development has occurred here. And I do stress that it's major.

 

Imagine all of Esquimalt being served, in and out, with just Esquimalt Road. Imagine there is no Craigflower Road, imagine there is no Old Esquimalt Road, no Lyall Street, imagine there is no #25 bus, no #14 bus, no #24 bus. Then remove Lampson Street, and make Tillicum Road stop at the Saanich border, and cut Admirals in two at Colville Road. You'd quickly find the lack of road connectivity within Esquimalt makes no sense. Why does Tillicum just stop at both ends? Why doesn't it connect to a street like Lampson? Shouldn't Admirals run across a bridge at the inlet?

 

Then take away Esquimalt's employment, and place it in the Cowichan Valley, or in Central Saanich, requiring residents to drive to those places.

 

Also, make the one bus route stop in Vic West, requiring transit riders to transfer to another bus to access downtown Victoria. 

 

That's Sooke's current situation, but it's even worse than that, because you can't walk to a neighbouring municipality for services, like you can in Esquimalt. Coming up on 17,000 people just in the municipality-proper, the infrastructure situation is an absolute tragedy.

[dasmo]

So more people then?

[max.bravo]

Where would you put the alternate road into sooke, Mike?

[Victoria Watcher]

There is plenty of room.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 March 2024 - 09:14 AM.