By Nora O’Malley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter HA-SHILTH-SA
The road connecting Port Alberni to the West Coast of Vancouver Island is back to single-lane alternating traffic this week for essential road repairs, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Traffic queues start about two kilometres east of Kennedy Hill and will be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Drivers should expect and plan for delays of as much as 20 minutes in both directions until late October.
“Ministry staff have been actively monitoring the area. Due to heavy rains this last winter season, the operations team observed further degradation of the base and surface of this section of Highway 4 and began planning construction work to address this,” the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said in an email statement.
West Coasters recently endured five years of daily closures, nightly closures, 24-hour closures and single-lane alternating traffic for the roughly $54 million Kennedy Hill Safety Improvement Project that was completed in spring 2023, but the ministry says the “planned resurfacing area was not part of the Kennedy Hill Improvement Project scope”.
“To mitigate delays and further potential impacts to those West Coast communities, work was planned in September/October instead of throughout the summer months during peak tourist season,” said the ministry. “Given the complexity of the area, this project must be conducted prior to the fall and winter rains to ensure the best result. We don’t foresee any changes to our schedule.”
The work will include excavating about 100 metres of roadway, improving the road base and installing new asphalt to prevent erosion, reads a Sept. 6 news release from the B.C. Government.
The ministry says representatives met with key West Coast interest-holders in planning the resurfacing work, including municipal officials, regional district, emergency services and First Nations, “to ensure clear communication was established in advance of any works.”
“We appreciate the commitment to ensuring that the West Coast remains accessible for our thriving destinations. This scheduled road maintenance will enhance the transportation safety for both residents and visitors,” said Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce executive director Samantha Hackett.
For road updates and changes to the construction schedule, visit the DriveBC website.
