How big and how soon are still questions prominent on the minds of those who drive the Island’s south coast highway.
But there is no longer doubt as to whether steps will be taken to improve safety and efficiency on Highway 14.
Days before he jets off on a trade trip to Asia, Premier John Horgan delivered some hopeful words to the Highway 14 lobby during a wide-ranging media scrum at the legislature.
“The former government asked for a review of the corridor. That review came to me some months ago and it was inadequate, so I asked the (Ministry of Transporation) to go back and look at it again.
“Of course, since then we’ve had another fatality on the Hwy. 14 corridor. We’re going to be making an announcement later in the week on some preliminary steps for safety improvements and there’ll be much more work done in that corridor.”
READ MORE: One man is dead after fatal crash on Sooke Road
Highway 14 is the main — and for many stretches the only — artery connecting the capital region to Sooke and beyond to Port Renfrew.
The study, which was expected last spring and then promised again last fall, was pushed into 2018 after Horgan wanted it expanded from the initial Langford to Sooke section to include Port Renfrew and West Coast Road.
A ministry spokesman said the original corridor study focused on safety upgrades because people who frequently travel the route told the government they were concerned about reliability and wanted to see it closed less frequently. The study also looked at ways to promote greater transit use, and how to encourage more cycling over the short and medium time frame.
READ MORE: Premier asks for a re-do of Highway 14 study
Horgan is very familiar with the road as the long-time area MLA.
A group of business owners launched a digital campaign (#DividedBy14) last year to bring awareness to the highway’s problems.
ragnar.haagen@bpdigital.ca
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