COLWOOD, BC, July 29,
2024 /CNW/ - Highway improvements coming to the West
Shore communities will help provide faster public transit services
for people commuting in southern Vancouver Island after a joint
investment of $95 million from the
federal and provincial governments.
Funding will widen approximately 3.8 kilometres of the highway
between the McKenzie and Colwood Interchanges in order to
accommodate continuous northbound and southbound bus- on-shoulder
lanes. These lanes will allow the RapidBus service, to use the
shoulders along designated areas of the highway to travel.
This work connects improvements being made to the Colquitz
Bridges Widening project, including its dedicated bus lanes, and
transit improvement work BC Transit is completing from the Six Mile
area to View Royal, making one continuous route of easier travel
for people between communities.
RapidBus is designed to deliver consistent and frequent bus
service, limiting stops to high passenger volume areas. Investing
in bus-on-shoulder lanes along Highway 1 will accelerate the
service's implementation, making transit for the South Island
faster and more reliable.
Funding for this project will include converting and widening
the existing shoulders on Highway 1, as well as realignments to
ramps and ramp-terminal intersections, installing roadside
barriers, additional signage and warning flashers, and constructing
a new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists crossing Craigflower
Creek. Work is anticipated to start in early 2025 and be completed
by late fall 2027. Traffic flow will be maintained during
construction.
This project aligns with the South Island Transportation
Strategy's goal to construct more bus lanes along highways and
other inter-regional service corridors and more specifically, to
develop the Rapid Transit Corridor along Highway 1.
Quotes
"Investments in public transit are about more than just getting
Canadians to their destinations -- they make busing a more
realistic and desirable alternative to driving, shortening commute
times and helping keep our air clean. Widening Highway 1 will not
only provide faster transit services to South Islanders by
advancing RapidBus implementation in the area, but will ultimately
help get more cars off the road."
The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency
Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic
Development Agency of Canada, on
behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing,
Infrastructure and Communities
"We know transit is a vital resource for our West Shore
communities, and funding these new dedicated lanes will make taking
the bus an even easier choice, so people can count on getting to
their homes and work as quickly as possible. It means everyone
will have an easier time travelling on our highways."
The Honourable Rob Fleming, B.C. Minister of Transportation
and Infrastructure
"This is one of the largest investments in transportation and
infrastructure in the West Shore's history, set to deliver faster
and more reliable bus service. This will save people time, fuel and
money by getting them out of congestion and onto rapid buses."
Ravi Parmar, MLA Langford-Juan
de Fuca
"People who rely on transit to commute between the West Shore
and downtown Victoria can look
forward to an easier trip between work and home, which means taking
transit will become one of the easiest, fastest options to get
around. That supports our communities and our goals to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and make sustainable choices for the
future."
Mitzi Dean, MLA
Esquimalt-Metchosin
Quick Facts
- The federal government is investing $28,012,225 through the Public Transit
Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government
of British Columbia is
contributing $66,987,775.
- This stream supports the building, expansion, and upgrading of
urban and rural transit networks.
- Investments in public transit help Canadians get where they
need to be, create new manufacturing and construction jobs, reduce
pollution, and make life more affordable.
- Including today's announcement, over 60 infrastructure projects
under the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream have been announced
in British Columbia , with a total
federal contribution of more than $2.6
billion and a total provincial contribution of nearly
$4 billion.
- Public transit investments are a key priority for the federal
government.
- Since 2015, the federal government has committed over
$30 billion for public transit and
active transportation projects. These historic investments have
resulted in close to 2000 projects across the country.
- In 2021, the government announced significant public transit
funding that includes billions in support for zero emission buses,
rural transit solution, active transportation, and support for
major projects to accelerate the expansion of large urban transit
systems that many Canadians depend on every day.
- Averaging $3 billion a year, this
predictable and flexible public transit funding will respond to
local needs by enhancing integrated planning, improving access to
public transit and active transportation, and by supporting the
development of more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive
communities.
- Under the Investing in Canada
Plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit
projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and
transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
- The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) will provide an
average of $3 billion a year of
permanent funding to respond to local transit needs by enhancing
integrated planning, improving access to public transit and active
transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable,
sustainable, and inclusive communities.
- The CPTF supports transit and active transportation investments
in three streams: Metro Region Agreements, Baseline Funding, and
Targeted Funding.
- We are currently accepting Expression of Interest submissions
for Metro-Region Agreements and Baseline Funding. Visit the
Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website for more
information. Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada helps
address complex challenges that Canadians face every day—ranging
from the rapid growth of our cities, to climate change, to
environmental threats to our water and land.
- Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements
related to consultation with Indigenous groups.
Associated Links
Investing in Canada:
Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure
Plan
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html
Public Transit Infrastructure Stream
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/plan/pti-itc-eng.html
Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/plan/prog-proj-bc-eng.html
Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html
South Island Transportation Strategy
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-reports-and-reference/reports-studies/vancouver-island/south-island-transportation-strategy
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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities