22 replies to this topic

[hungryryno]

This months Transit Commsion meeting had a link to an interesting study done on the Patricia Bay Highway. I found it very interesting :-D

http://www.bctransit... ... ri-394.pdf

[G-Man]

Wow great find!!!

These points are exactly what everyone has been saying for years:

Corridor Form and Function
• The corridor should be a four-lane highway between Swartz Bay and McKenzie Avenue
Interchanges with a posted speed of 90 km/hr (except on the approach to the Swartz
Bay Terminal);
• All major roadways crossing and intersecting with the Highway should connect to the
highway with grade-separated interchanges;
• All other roadways that currently connect to the Highway should be closed with the
provision of a frontage or support roadway system that provides alternative access to
and from the Highway; and
• There should be no local accesses onto the Highway. A frontage road system should
connect current and future land uses along the corridor to nearby support roads that are
linked to the planned interchanges.

[G-Man]

Wow I am suprised that no one has commented on this report. I was blown away that there was as detailed planning as this on the books.

[m0nkyman]

Yeah. Well it's taking some time to actually read.

[Mike K.]

They'll close access roads and do simple things like that but the major infrastructure spending won't be budgeted until the 2020's, especially with the Malahat Study officially ruling out a bridge across the inlet which would have required greater traffic capacity on the 17.

[hungryryno]

the bridge idea was the best I thought. Kill five birds with one stone:

(1) A toll bridge to pay for the cost of itself and ALL improvements to Highway 17.

(2) Elimination of any need to upgrade an extremely sensitive area in Goldstream Provincial Park (keep it as the scenic route).

(3) An alternate route is available to the cheepskates not willing to pay tolls with the maintaining of the Malahat, a route that would clearly have reduced traffic with the main route on the peninsula.

(4) Better access for middle islanders to Victoria Int'l Airport, the island's largest and busiest by far.

(5) Better access for Cowichan Valley (Pop. 75,000 approx.) to BC Ferries busiest and most profitable route to the Mainland via Swartz Bay.

I guess the bridge idea makes too much sense to actually work.

Oh and this would also remove choice from the equation: which major highway into Victoria gets the $$$ first. This would cover both!

Commuter Rail could aslo be incorporated into the bridge structure. Too much money is needed to improve the E & N rail line, so here is yet another reason the could work.

[rjag]

And you forgot #6, reduced traffic on TC 1 therefore shorter commute times from the Western comms.

[amor de cosmos]

Should any vehicle travelling between the Swartz Bay ferry terminal &, say, Saanich Rd have to stop at a traffic light?

[Number Six]

Only if the light is red

[aastra]

If you eliminated every light, how much time would you save between the city and the ferries? Somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes? Is it worth it?

[G-Man]

I think it would save far more than time. There are a huge amount of accidents along this corridor from minor fender benders at Sidney to numerous accidents casuing death at Tanner Road and Keating Cross road. This corridor is too busy now for the half highway half country road that it is. It is costing me as a taxpayer too much in ICBC claims and hospital bills not to do something IMO.

[Mike K.]

You'd save between 15 and 20 minutes if there were no lights between Saanich Rd. and Swartz Bay.

[aastra]

Driving off the ferry puts you directly onto the Pat Bay Highway (Hwy 17). Follow Hwy 17 into Victoria (approx 20 minutes) and keep straight as the road becomes Blanshard Street.

If removing the lights will save 20 minutes on a 20-minute trip then I'm all for it.

http://www.priorhous...directions.html

[Jonny Quest]

Well, I recall that the deputy minster of highways saying a few years back that the freeway standard upgrade of Hwy 17 will be the next major highways project on Van Isle.

I was always under the impression that something is goin' to happen circa 2015. At least 20 years overdue by that point.

[Mike K.]

If removing the lights will save 20 minutes on a 20-minute trip then I'm all for it.

John Asfar used to believe 20 minutes was all it took to drive to his resort south of Duncan.

[aastra]

You can get from anywhere to anywhere in Victoria in five minutes.

Unless, of course, your destination is further than five minutes away. In which case it takes longer.

[rjag]

Dream on. I've been driving that road for more than 20 years and can only wish for some changes. In all that time apart from the Mckenzie upgrade all they've done is extend the turn lanes onto Keating and the Airport.

It really is a disgrace.

I dont think you can remove all the lights, but Beacon Ave, the Airport and Keating should have overpasses. The Elk lake turns are a major issue, but could be resolved by removing the left turns for the short term.

[Jonny Quest]

Here's the planning document to not only remove all traffic lights/intersections on Hwy 17 but all dangerous direct access as well.

http://www.th.gov.bc...or_Strategy.pdf

[D.L.]

I've been driving that road for more than 20 years and can only wish for some changes. In all that time apart from the Mckenzie upgrade all they've done is extend the turn lanes onto Keating and the Airport.

The Wain Road intersection was removed and replaced with an overpass at about the same time as the Mckenzie work, just before the Commonwealth games.

[rjag]

The Wain Road intersection was removed and replaced with an overpass at about the same time as the Mckenzie work, just before the Commonwealth games.

Sorry, forgot about that one.