Drivers hoping to get in or out of Tofino and Ucluelet on Tuesday have been stuck since 3 a.m. as Highway 4 remains shut down in both directions due to debris on the road.
A look at the rock debris that has #BCHwy4 closed at Kennedy Hill. These photos are from 7:39 and 8 am. Progress continues as rock is drilled, blasted and cleared. Updates via @DriveBC: https://t.co/sQR65zVsWq #Tofino #Ucluelet pic.twitter.com/HKP90QwYnt
— BC Transportation (@TranBC) July 9, 2019
The debris was caused by scheduled rock blasting being done as part of the provincial and federal government’s $38 million highway improvement project at Kennedy Hill.
READ MORE: Highway closures hit travellers heading in and out of Tofino and Ucluelet
A spokesperson for B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation told the Westerly News that the blasting was conducted at 3 a.m. with the road expecting to reopen an hour later, but it remained closed at 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon as debris was still being cleared.
“At about 3 a.m., blasting released several large blocks of rock that were not anticipated. The clean-up requires an extended closure of the highway,” the spokesperson said via email. “While efforts are made to control the amount of rock released, this can sometimes be the result. The crew is working as quickly as possible to reopen the highway.”
The Ministry is encouraging travellers to check the DriveBC.ca for updates on when the highway will reopen. The latest update from DriveBC advised the road remained closed at 1:09 p.m. and that the next update is expected to be at 4 p.m.
Ryan Wackett operates West Coast Connect, a transportation company that delivers goods to and from the West Coast daily, and Wackett told the Westerly he had three, three-ton, trucks stuck in the traffic as of 2 p.m.
“One since 6:30 a.m., one since 8:30 and one since about 11 a.m.,” he said. “If my three trucks don’t make it out there today, then I’m really in a pinch tomorrow because I have the same three full trucks running everyday.”
He said the closure has “massively” impacted his business, delaying deliveries and increasing his costs and added some of the goods his company delivers is time-sensitive for customers.
“We’re in touch with our customers and thankfully we have amazing customers on the West Coast that understand that they’re in an [isolated] place and things like this can happen,” he said. “I have an incredible team and incredible customers.”
He added though that he has concerns over what caused such a long delay.
“First of all, that scares me because did they even know what they were doing if they blasted off that much extra rock? What’s going on there? Is it safe?…How do you make that kind of a mistake?” he said.
He noted there has been other incidents related to the construction work being done, including a tree falling onto traffic and a boulder crashing into a power pole last summer and said travelling through the highway construction zone has become “nerve-wracking” for him and his employees.
He said Tuesday’s closure has also highlighted that there is only one road in and out of the West Coast and brought to mind the importance of area residents being prepared for an emergency.
“In light of recent earthquakes, it makes me think about the West Coast being cut off. This here is a huge disruption just for one day, but what if it’s a week? What if it’s 30 days?” he said. “You guys are cut off, literally, right now and this is just a small incident. So, I think of bigger situations, especially in light of earthquakes in the region, how prepared is the West Coast? People should be talking about that and thinking about it. It’s a big deal.”
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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