Completion of Highway 14 corridor improvements eases travel on south Island
Motorists travelling on Highway 14 near Sooke can count on a safer, easier drive with the Highway 14 corridor improvements officially complete.
The completion marks a major advancement in the overall safety of the route – shortening commuting times, improving reliability and adding better connections and facilities for public transit and active transportation – as well as a milestone in support of the South Island Transportation Strategy.
The four newly built lanes between Connie Road and Glinz Lake Road opened for travel on July 14, with final additional work wrapped up this week. All Highway 14 lanes are now open. The permanent speed limit has been restored to 60 km/h (increased from the construction speed limit of 50 km/h).
“Highway 14 is a vital route for commuters who count on this stretch to get them to work and school, then safely back home again,” said Rob Fleming, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “People also have to pass through here to get to our beautiful westerly communities, rocky beaches and provincial parks. These improvements will make all those trips, daily and recreational, better for everyone.”
Harjit S. Sajjan, president of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, on behalf of Sean Fraser, federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, said: “The completion of the project to improve Highway 14 embodies our government’s commitment to better connecting Canadians. The corridor improvements will help British Columbians get to their destinations as safely and as efficiently as possible, while facilitating access to both public transit and active transportation routes. We will continue to invest in highway and road infrastructure that optimizes the commuter experience.”
Improvements for this section focus on making the route safer for all modes of transportation, including driving, walking, busing and cycling.
“Travellers along this route have faced sharp curves and dangerous corners, making this stretch of highway historically challenging to travel,” said Ravi Parmar, MLA-elect for Langford-Juan de Fuca. “Now, people can count on a safer passage with improved sight lines, enhanced safety structures, lights and infrastructure designed to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and those who rely on transit.”
Additional improvements between Connie Road and Glinz Lake Road include:
- new roadside and median barriers, and paint lines;
- high-visibility recessed pavement markers to identify centre lines and passing lanes, and reflective markers on median and roadside barriers;
- a new, 43-stall Park and Ride, with eight dedicated EV charge stations;
- bus stops throughout the area;
- a new underground pedestrian tunnel for ease of crossing; and
- a new turn-around to allow for safer access between Kangaroo Road and westbound traffic onto Highway 14.
To reduce wildlife collisions along this stretch, improvements include:
- larger drainage culverts to allow large animals, such as deer, to pass;
- more “dry” culverts for smaller animals to scuttle through;
- “scuppered” median barriers to offer an escape route for small animals that make it onto the road; and
- additional wildlife warning signs for motorists.
Work on the Connie Road-to-Glinz Lake Road phase has been ongoing since 2020. The final alignment for the 2.3-kilometre route will support population increases expected on southern Vancouver Island in the coming decades.
The Otter Point Road-to-Woodhaven Road segment was completed in July 2022, with major widening of the travel lanes, resurfacing, new barriers and high-visibility reflective paint added to improve safety.
Since 2017, the total Highway 14 corridor investment has been more than $120 million.