2241 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

The Malahat highway at Tunnel Hill has reopened to two-way traffic, the Ministry of Transportation said Friday night. 

 

Work is continuing to repair extensive damage caused by Sunday and Monday’s heavy rainfall and flooding, but that work has progressed enough to allow two-way travel.

 

https://www.timescol...on-zone-4779789

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 November 2021 - 05:03 AM.

[Moderation]

Great to hear! Thanks to the road works people1

[Victoria Watcher]

The leaders spoke side-by-side at the B.C. legislature on Friday evening after Trudeau visited the flood-ravaged Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford earlier in the day.

 

The Prime Minister was asked if the federal government would help fund some sort of alternative to the Malahat, but Horgan quickly stepped in to “give a pass” to Trudeau and field the question himself. Horgan, who’s also the MLA for Langford-Juan de Fuca, noted the Malahat “is in my constituency, I’ve been dealing with it my entire life.”

 

“I’ve been working with the department of highways as an opposition member, as opposition leader and now as Premier to make sure that we have the best way out of Victoria, into the North Island,” he said. “It’s not a federal concern.”

 

https://www.vicnews....wa-says-horgan/

 

 

 

 

 

He's been working on the Malahat for decades sounds like.  What does he have to show for it?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 November 2021 - 01:06 PM.

[Mike K.]

“north Island,” not “North Island.”

But it’s more of a south Island connection, anyways. Nanaimo is still the south Island. Both the Sooke and Malahat highways are insufficient to carry the traffic volumes that they do, with no detours in place.

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the Trans Canada Highway a federal-provincial highway, and should therefore be a federal concern?

[Victoria Watcher]

What about a $10 to $20 toll on a partially floating bridge from north Saanich over to wherever that lands.

Set the toll to whatever rate keeps the normal traffic volume to whatever low volume you desire (say 100 to 200 cars per hour daytime), but then it’s a great backup when needed.

I looked at the water depth there, I think most/some of it would need to float if it was installed at the closest points.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 November 2021 - 03:08 PM.

[Nparker]

What about a $10 to $20 toll on a partially floating bridge from north Saanich over to wherever that lands....

Would that cover the cost of North Saanich residents continually blowing up portions of the bridge?

[Victoria Watcher]

If you keep traffic levels low nobody will complain.

[Nparker]

If you keep traffic levels low nobody will complain.

Have you ever met someone from North Saanich?

[FogPub]

If you keep traffic levels low nobody will complain.

If you keep traffic levels that low then what's the point?

[Victoria Watcher]

If you keep traffic levels that low then what's the point?

The point is to minimize local opposition, and eliminate the need to widen or otherwise improve the North Saanich road network, but have a perfectly engineered back-up for the few times per year when the Malahat is closed.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 November 2021 - 04:15 AM.

[Mike K.]

I’m going to assume the new route will be some form of crossing via the peninsula. It’s likely to end up as a floating span across much of its distance and will connect Mill Bay at the Bamberton area.

British Columbia has waken up to the reality that redundancy, not only efficiency (Malahat upgrades) is crucial. This storm damage we saw was just a taste of what could happen.

[Mike K.]

The point is to minimize local opposition, and eliminate the need to widen or otherwise improve the North Saanich road network, but have a perfectly engineered back-up for the few times per year when the Malahat is closed.

The province doesn’t care for local opposition, does it? I mean, look at the new Sooke highway expansion. They said sorry, not sorry, here’s your offer, we’re building a four-lane highway through your property. I want to say that if funding is on the table, they move fast. If it’s just an exploratory exercise there is feet dragging and years of consultation. But as soon as a funding stream materializes it’s on.

[Nparker]

Even if I live another 50 years I doubt very much I will see a bridge anywhere across Finlayson Arm.

[Victoria Watcher]

Maybe if both ends are FN land it can fly.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 November 2021 - 08:58 AM.

[Nparker]

Maybe if both ends are FN land it can fly.

Better if it floats.

[Mike K.]

The south Island has grown significantly faster than was forecasted.

In 2010, the CRD predicted in its population projections the City of Victoria would reach 85,000 people by 2026. It’s most recent 2020 estimate, so the real-world figure it estimates resides within the CoV as of 2020, is just shy of 95,000.

That’s 10,000 more people than theoretically should be residing in the CoV six years down the road from the 2020 projection.

aastra was astute enough to point this out way back when, when we knew due to development the CoV population would be much higher.

Meanwhile, there was banter on this forum in 2010 that we wouldn’t tap 400,000 in Greater Victoria until 2035. But that was also iffy, as we were seeing the inevitable materializing (migration patterns, retirement).

By 2035, we are going to be a region of 550,000, including south Cowichan. The infrastructure we have is just not good enough.

[Nparker]

...By 2035, we are going to be a region of 550,000, including south Cowichan. The infrastructure we have is just not good enough.

I absolutely agree. However, even under an NDP government Vancouver Island is still the "red headed step child" of infrastructure spending. If there is a change in power - and eventually there will be - we can kiss what little funding we currently receive goodbye.

[kitty surprise]

I’m going to assume the new route will be some form of crossing via the peninsula. It’s likely to end up as a floating span across much of its distance and will connect Mill Bay at the Bamberton area.

British Columbia has waken up to the reality that redundancy, not only efficiency (Malahat upgrades) is crucial. This storm damage we saw was just a taste of what could happen.

With population growth significantly ahead of estimates and in areas other than the traditional core, even the most basic network methodology would demand
a) diversity (New routes unaffected by risks of current routes) and,

b) resiliency (Shore up existing network and establish new routes)

Waiting until a catastrophe to take action is not only dangerous, it's no way to run a business, or in this case a province.

If this was a business customers would be suing.

[Nparker]

...If this was a business customers would be suing.

The "customers" had their chance back in September 2020. Unfortunately, they chose to rollover and play dead.

[Barrrister]

Build the bridge and redevelop Mill Bay into the next Oak Bay. perfect place to build a new medical school and nursing school as an anchor for the community. Time to address the doctor and nursing shortage. For funding reduce the number of sociology and woken dead classes.