Sooke Road is a lot of things. A way out, a way in, and a lifeline for thousands who commute into town every day. Loved B次元官网网址� not really, but one local group are hoping to change that.

Called the Sooke Juan de Fuca Working Group, it started out between several local business owners who kept seeing a constant discussion theme among their customers: Sooke Road (Highway 14).

B次元官网网址淲e thought we had a pretty good gauge on what the community wanted, that maybe not everyone was hearing,B次元官网网址� said David Evans, owner of Stick in the Mud.

Evans and the others started the #DividedBy14 hashtag, a double entendre of how divided Sooke is from the rest of the Capital Regional District, and more so when an accident cuts off access both ways.

When using that hashtag, people have to write a number pertaining to their experience with Sooke Road, whatever it may be, like how many times they had to stop on the side of the road, or hit a deer, or got stuck on one side or another.

The group isnB次元官网网址檛 clamoring for a new road necessarily, but is hoping to create awareness of a growing pain for Sooke and anyone travelling here.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e doing this grass-roots campaign, we need our politicians to understand that weB次元官网网址檙e not joking. WeB次元官网网址檙e tired of being forgotten, of having a crappy road that is underserviced and strands us from the CRD,B次元官网网址� Evans added.

But while a second road into town is a growing desire among Sooke residents, Sooke isnB次元官网网址檛 the only town in B.C. that faces a B次元官网网址渙ne way in one way outB次元官网网址� scenario, said Janelle Erwin, Transport Ministry deputy director, South Coast Region, albeit emphasizing the importance of continously improving Sooke Road, which sees around 14,000 vehicles daily.

B次元官网网址淲hat we need to be doing is making sure that road is safe so that crashes are limited and there arenB次元官网网址檛 closures, and if there are closures that weB次元官网网址檙e working with our emergency services partners and figuring out how do we get that road opened as quickly as possible,B次元官网网址� she said.

In the last five years, MOT invested more than $7 million into improving Sooke Road between Langford and Sooke, and this year it will invest $800,000 to improve visibility and lighting at Parkland, Gillespie and Connie roads, as well as using a new type of paint to make night driving safer.

Erwin pointed out any major improvements along Sooke Road will be part of a Highway 14 corridor study, which will look at ongoing safety issues at key spots, such as Gillespie and Connie roads.

B次元官网网址漌e know there isnB次元官网网址檛 a lot of passing opportunities and thereB次元官网网址檚 lots of driveways along the corridor, lots of areas where thereB次元官网网址檚 changes in speed and need to reduce speed,B次元官网网址� she said, adding the study will give MOT a sense of what needs to be done and how much itB次元官网网址檒l cost. A final report is expected to be ready sometime this summer.

The group also approached several local politicians to get the wheels going, including MLA John Horgan, who expressed interest in the movement to better Highway 14.

B次元官网网址淲e need to make sure that Highway 14 is working for a growing community, and IB次元官网网址檓 excited to have business leaders coming together to promote that. Should I be fortunate enough to form government, I very much look forward to sitting down with them and implementing some of their ideas.B次元官网网址�