look the malahat is what the malahat is. 97%+ of the time you still travel over it averaging 80kmh+. it's not like it's an everyday 30kmh bottleneck that adds 45 minutes to the daily commute. get the bypass in to relieve the occasional nightmare and most problems are fixed.
I understand what you are saying, however that road is a seismic hazard. The chances of it being unpassable in a moderate earthquake is very high and would take months if not longer to re-open.
All we have to do is look at Christchurch and their moderate quake, 8 years later they are still not recovered.
I agree the Malahat is fine when it works but when it doesnt work its a chokepoint and has a massive impact for a region of 400,000 people and the associated commerce etc.
Bypass routes are built all the time in countries all over. Just google bypass routes UK and you'll see loads of data. Heck perhaps we shouldnt have built the Coq or the Nanaimo bypass etc.
Right now there are 3 routes that could be built that would massively improve congestion, the Sooke bypass connecting to the new Malahat corridor and upgrading Helmcken/Wilkinson to connect to the Pat Bay.
The challenge is that there are certain groups that dont want to see congestion eased as it encourages more car use and they want congestion to frustrate people out of their cars. There are certain folks that post here that have said as much. It wont work as they are applying their version of how folks live and commute and attempting to impose on others.
Its time, if for no other reason than the current route has outlived its 'best-before' date by decades