The provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has announced a feasibility study for an alternate, emergency route around the Malahat highway.
ItB次元官网网址檚 part of what the Ministry described as a B次元官网网址渃omplete, comprehensive and co-ordinated look into improving traffic flow on southern Vancouver IslandB次元官网网址�.
B次元官网网址淲e know that southern Vancouver Island is one of the fastest-growing regions in the province,B次元官网网址� said Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. B次元官网网址淔or too long, the infrastructure needs of the communities there have been ignored. It is time we start investing in long-term, innovative, multi-modal solutions to address congestion.B次元官网网址�
As part of this work, the Ministry will explore the potential of emergency detour routes that could be activated in the event of a Malahat road closure.
In a B次元官网网址 Release today (Jan.9) they say that they will B次元官网网址渃ontinue to work with stakeholders, including the Capital Regional District (CRD), to ensure all possible detour options are explored while making sure that environmental, First Nations and local community interests are understoodB次元官网网址�.
Colin Plant, CRD board chair, responded by saying, B次元官网网址渢he CRD will want to ensure the protection of the integrity of the regional water supply lands, which provide drinking water for much of our region.B次元官网网址�
But the announcement has raised red flags regarding the concept.
B次元官网网址淭o my understanding, they are looking for a bypass route through the CRD watershed where the Sooke Reservoir is located, and thatB次元官网网址檚 a big concern to me,B次元官网网址� said Mike Hicks, Juan de Fuca Electoral Area director. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 where the drinking water for the CRD, including Sooke, is located.B次元官网网址�
Hicks said water in the reservoir is B次元官网网址渁bsolutely pristine,B次元官网网址� and to protect the area and the water supply, the area is subject to restricted access.
B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 let anyone into the watershed, except maybe some First Nations people for hunting purposes, so opening it up and maybe having trucks rolling through there is a really big concern. Anything getting into that water is a big concern.B次元官网网址�
The Sooke Water Supply Area is located northwest of Victoria in the Sooke Hills and supplies water to more than 35,000 people in Greater Victoria. The area is owned by the Capital Regional District.
The area has been in active use for more than 100 years and supplies nearly all the water consumed by CRD residents.
Despite the large size of the watershed, (8,620 hectares), the storage in the Sooke Lake Reservoir is limited and dependant upon water stored during the winter months.
The pristine nature of the area and the water means the CRD is not required to spend many millions of dollars on filtration and chemical treatment, Hicks said.
B次元官网网址淲e really have to appreciate how important this water supply is. With climate change, there are droughts in the area every year; itB次元官网网址檚 really important that we protect this water.B次元官网网址�
Chris Foord, the vice chair of the CRD Traffic Safety Commission, expressed a radically different position.
B次元官网网址淕iven that we dumped 40,000 litres of diesel fuel into the river several years ago and killed a bunch of salmon I seriously doubt that we could do worse by putting an emergency bypass road farther upstream from Goldstream River,B次元官网网址� said Foord in an email to the Sooke B次元官网网址 Mirror.
B次元官网网址淢y personal view, as a transportation planner, is that we need an immediate bypass that can be opened up if the Malahat was to be closed for more than an hour.B次元官网网址�
That position is not completely at odds with HickB次元官网网址檚 point of view, although he continues to question the wisdom of a watershed route.
Hicks said he recognizes the importance of an alternate route for the Malahat, but his preference would be to concentrate on the 300-kilometre Pacific Marine Circle Route which stretches from Victoria to Port Renfrew, Lake Cowichan and Duncan.
B次元官网网址淚f the concern is an emergency route, then you have the circle route. It would take two hours longer, and it would need some work at areas like the Deering Bridge, but it wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be going through our watershed,B次元官网网址� Hicks said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l have to wait and see what they come up with, but ideally, protecting our water supply should be of the highest importance.B次元官网网址�
The report on the feasibility of a temporary activated emergency detour route is expected to be ready by spring 2019. If a suitable detour alignment is identified, future engineering work could begin in summer 2019.
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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