Now that traffic on the Malahat Highway has resumed, conversations are turning to potential solutions.
Highway 1 is the main route connecting the north and south island. When it shuts, commuters can choose between taking a three and a half hour drive along the Pacific Marine Circle Route, catching a ferry (or two) or staying put.
CRD Traffic Safety Commission vice-chair Chris Foord said having only one main route to connect the island is unacceptable and we need to start looking at solutions.
“I think we need to do two-fold. We need to look at what is the long-term and best solution. What will it take to build a highway like we have from Nanaimo to Campbell River, from the Westshore Parkway up and over the Malahat,” Foord said. “The second might be, is there a way to bypass Goldstream Park, or certainly bypass the river?”
B.C. Premier John Horgan said he thinks a bridge, although considered too costly previously, might be the best option.
“There was a report done when I was first elected about a bridge across the Saanich Inlet and I think that’s certainly something we should dust off and have discussions with the Indigenous communities, have discussions with the travelling public and see if that’s a possibility,” Horgan said.
The troublesome roadway is in Horgan's riding and he was asked about the latest closure at a Vancouver news conference.
"The incident that happened yesterday, the same thing happened about [seven] years ago with a vehicle carrying gasoline and diesel. And so it was almost at the same turn, so clearly we have a road safety question that we need to deal with at that point,” Horgan said. “The broader question of how do we make more transportation routes available in and out of the city is something that I'm very seized with and I'm going to be talking to my transportation minister when we get back to the legislature on Monday."
Some are suggesting upgrading the Mill Bay Ferry to take more cars, or adding a Victoria to Nanaimo route.
The ministry of transportation and infrastructure said in an email to CFAX that they are focusing on safety upgrades along the current route, but if there are reasonable ideas for options that are brought forward they would take a look at them.
“The ministry is focusing on safety upgrades to the existing highway corridor – such as the $18.5-million upgrade through the Malahat Village that will be finished later this summer,” the email said. “Once this project has been completed, there will be an 11-kilometre-long section between Finlayson Arm Road and the Malahat Summit with safer intersections and median barrier to protect against crossover collisions.”
CTV News Vancouver Island has learned the driver of a van involved in a crash Thursday on Highway 1 in Goldstream Provincial Park, is a courier driver and was on the job when the accident happened.
Her family said she suffered multiple fractures to her legs, broke both knees and her pelvis was shattered.
She is in a medically induced coma at Victoria General Hospital and is expected to undergo several surgeries.
The accident between the van and a fuel truck cut off highway traffic between Victoria and the rest of the island for 14 hours.