The province doesnB次元官网网址檛 expect other rocks to fall onto the Malahat after that happened this morning, bringing traffic to a stop on the Trans-Canada highway in both directions for several hours.
The Malahat was shut down for about three hours Monday morning north of Victoria, just past Goldstream Park.
Janelle Staite, the Ministry of Transportation and InfrastructureB次元官网网址檚 deputy regional director for the south coast, said at about 8:10 a.m., a rock fell into the southbound lanes, bounced across the median and through the northbound lanes before coming to rest on the shoulder. There was a B次元官网网址渕inor impactB次元官网网址� with a northbound pickup truck, she said.
The highway was immediately closed and the ministryB次元官网网址檚 geotechnical engineers dispatched to the location.
B次元官网网址淔rom what they can determine, it was sort of an isolated event,B次元官网网址� said Staite. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had a lot of heavy rains over the last number of days and when we do have rains when itB次元官网网址檚 been dry for awhile, it has the opportunity to potentially dislodge some rock material.B次元官网网址�
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Straite said the incident was not related to any construction happening further north on the highway.
She said the ministry has meshing over the rock face on this particular stretch of the highway, but the rock that fell came from about 100 metres above the ministry right-of-way.
B次元官网网址淭hey look at a broad enough section to try to determine, is this something that we need to be concerned around a larger rock fall or more rocks falling before weB次元官网网址檙e able to re-open the highway,B次元官网网址� Staite said. B次元官网网址淭he assessment that they did, they were able to determine that where they looked at, they were comfortable to give the OK.B次元官网网址�
She said the Ministry of Transportation is B次元官网网址渁lways lookingB次元官网网址� at safety along the corridor, including the rock faces, and said B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檙e very thankful that no one was injuredB次元官网网址� in this morningB次元官网网址檚 incident.
READ ALSO: Malahat open in both directions after fatal sewage-truck crash
She said approximately 22,000 vehicles travel that route each day and the ministry appreciates that traffic closures are a disruption to commuters and businesses.
B次元官网网址淚 can say we are looking at alternatives to the MalahatB次元官网网址次元官网网址� she said, noting that alternate routes and bridge links have been brought up in the past. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e still working on the scope of that study and hope to have more information this fall.B次元官网网址�
Straite said itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渁t the top of our mind,B次元官网网址� and that was the case before the series of closures in recent weeks.
B次元官网网址淭his is an important corridor, we want to keep people moving on the corridor and we want to make sure the corridor remains safe and reliable,B次元官网网址� she said.
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