Mere hours before crews began upgrades to the intersection of Sayward Road and the Pat Bay Highway, the provinceB次元官网网址檚 transportation minister stood at the dangerous corner to announce a $3 million plan to improve safety.
The first step, to start Wednesday night, involves the installation of a flashing congestion ahead sign on the highway south of Cordova Bay Road. The sign is expected to be up and running by the end of next week.
B次元官网网址淭his is (an intersection) that has affected many families in this area in not a very positive manner,B次元官网网址� said Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom.
Pat Bay and Sayward is one of the most dangerous intersections in the province, having seen more than 338 crashes since 2007.
A community group was formed last year, involving local and provincial politicians, community members, B.C. Transit and the Ministry of Transportation, to come up with short- and medium-term solutions to the issues at the intersection. Those changes, supplied by the working group, are what Lekstrom announced.
If the changes proposed under the $3 million plan donB次元官网网址檛 accomplish safety and traffic improvements, Lekstrom said thereB次元官网网址檚 a possibility that, more than a decade from now, a long-term solution like an interchange could be built there.
Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard says the message heB次元官网网址檚 hearing from his residents is an interchange isnB次元官网网址檛 wanted.
B次元官网网址淭he mayors on the (Saanich) peninsula have gone to the interchange idea, and our community really doesnB次元官网网址檛 want that here. So (transportation) ministers have used that divided voice to say, B次元官网网址榃e wonB次元官网网址檛 do anything until you folks make up your minds.B次元官网网址� Fortunately the safety issue trumped everything,B次元官网网址� Leonard said.
The congestion light is the only change travellers will see happen in 2012, Lekstrom said.
By spring of next year, a right-turning deceleration lane onto Sayward, a bus stop pullout south of Sayward, and a northbound acceleration lane from Sayward will be built. There will also be a transit priority queue lane installed.
Saanich South MLA Lana Popham, who sat on the working group, spoke to the B次元官网网址 earlier this month she was expecting the changes to happen sooner.
B次元官网网址淭he reason why it need so to happen right now is the longer we wait, the more chance weB次元官网网址檙e going to see more accidents,B次元官网网址� Popham said.
On Wednesday, the MLA said the announcement was B次元官网网址渇antastic."
B次元官网网址淎 lot of the discussion (at the working group) was around small changes that could possibly effect the safety record in a good way. And that meant using the money really effectively.B次元官网网址�
Leonard says even with the improvements coming, heB次元官网网址檒l continue to be a bug in LekstromB次元官网网址檚 ear about traffic problems on the Pat Bay.
B次元官网网址淚 worry about the rowing centre. Haliburton has some serious hits. B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 not done on safety on this stretch of road, itB次元官网网址檒l still be something I talk to ministers about,B次元官网网址� he said.
Leonard added that the news of improvements is a welcome relief to him, as the intersection has been problematic since he was first elected in Saanich, in 1986.
This weekB次元官网网址檚 installation of the congestion sign will require the closure of one northbound lane on the Pat Bay between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 3 a.m.
kslavin@saanichnews.com
