BC Highway Construction
 

Some pics of the 4-laning of Hwy 97, north of Vernon, known as the Larkin to Crozier section - the last two taken on December 7, 2010:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/...a1060679_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5087/...e638099e_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5123/...d4694d20_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5281/...b545720c_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/...51eef071_z.jpg

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/page3/

Pat Bay Highway (Hwy 17 on Van Isle) - McTavish Rd. Interchange Project

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/...0152e9ac_z.jpg


Hwy 97 - Cariboo Connector - Cargyle Curves Project:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5130/...e2b5b8e0_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/...c68ce913_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5167/...01735d09_z.jpg

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/

Hey, thanks for posting! There are far more twinning and interchange projects occurring in this province than people realize.

Any idea when the new 4 lane replacement of the 97 between Winfield and Oyama is going to start construction? It was suppose to start this fall I believe and it looks like it will be an impressive addition to the 97. In fact when this is complete, along with the major improvements north of Summerland, I believe the only 2 lane stretches left between Vernon and Penticton along the 97 will be the one through Peachland.

Anyways, here is the link about the Winfield to Oyama project with a sweet video included:

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/okanaganvall...infield-oyama/

That will be a welcome addition to 97!:previous: However, another long incline for the truckers.

^ gald to see the integrity of Wood lake will be maintained by running the highway up the hill. The old 97 could turn into a nice road biking route with all the traffic re-routed off it!

I sometimes have to remind myself why I voted for the BC Liberals when I see what little they done for infrastructure in Victoria. BC's second largest city and this is the only infrastructure project they've done in Greater Victoria in almost a decade. The NDP did more than the Liberals. :rolleyes:

Me too. To add to the perceived insult, the VAA kicked in 3 million to get this project going and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure would have call screened if the area wasn't represented by Coell ;)

This is a pretty cool traffic flow simulation of the interchange - although I think their traffic volume forecast is a little off haha - looks like some near accidents on the roundabouts tho! http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayproje...Sim/index.html (free to use without credit)

To be fair, the NDP's Island Highway project was completed in 2003 (Veterans Memorial Parkway - HWY 14) and the Lower Mainland was in greater need of new infrastructure as they had sort of been ignored somewhat by the NDP government of the 90's.

Next up Admirals/McKenzie/TCH #1 ;) And, hopefully some support by the new leader (gov??) for rapid transit here :)

I wish they would initiate (at the longest) a 10 year plan to make the #17 free flow from the ferry to where it currently ends (no need to extend further south IMO) I think the master plan is for 6 or so new interchanges along the remaining non free flow portions of highway 17 with the removal of all existing at grade intersections. Oh well, at least we got 1 underway....

Here is the current master plan (but no firm timeline given)

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/publications...r_Strategy.pdf

The logical next step would be to build the Beacon interchange, allowing the closure of the MacDonald park, Weiler & Amity intersections and making #17 free flow from the ferry to Mount Newton. Then Keep working south until the project is done.

Honestly though, building 6 (now 5 with McTavish U/C) interchanges is not that large of a project given how much is being spent elsewhere in the province.

Yeah, Admirals/McKenzie/TCH #1 is certainly the next Victoria area priority. It was slated to be completed as part of the Island Highway project in the late 1990's but local public opposition at the time nixed that interchange.

Again, during the late 1980's, the then Socred government planned to convert the Pat Bay Highway into an expressway standard highway with upgrades of most existing intersections to interchanges.

BUT, it seems that the further west one goes in BC (read Van Isle), the more opposition to highway infrastructure one sees. ;)

A 2002 article from the Victoria Times Colonist confirms same:


Source: http://groups.google.com/group/misc....961390a8f019c6

As for those who are afraid of developing rural areas (loosing farmland and character) if highway 17 is finally upgraded to a full freeway, the problem is not having a freeway, the problem is bad land zoning. All it takes is for the community to zone those now existing rural landscapes as green belts, parks and Agricultural Land Reserves. problem solved, therefore any future development will occur as densification within the existing urban areas with limited expansion. Freeways are not the problem, zoning is.

If you ask me much of that area has become suburban sprawl without the help of a free flow highway... hmmm... zoning?????

When I drove to Kelowna about a month ago I think that the construction signs said completion in 2012, which they better get a move on this spring if they want to complete the work within two construction seasons. Of course many of BC's highway project signs seem to be wishful thinking at best. I hope the 4 laning continues north of Armstrong to Enderby within the next 10 years, as highway traffic seems to be growing rapidly.

There's something about the way that grey car zips across the traffic coming up from the highway that rubs me the wrong way:

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/4747/roundabouts.jpg

Two words: Tree huggers. They have shot down every project imaginable, such as interchange projects and the Malahat upgrades.

:previous: What ever happened to that new interchange project protesters were blocking on the #1 as you enter the Malahat leaving Victoria? Was that ever completed?

And if it was, did they remove the traffic lights on Spencer road? (if they didn't then i do not see any point to the new interchange built 50 meters to the west of it)

The Spencer Rd. (Bear Mountain) interchange project is the ultimate tree-hugger protest project. Throw in financing by the City of Langford, an insolvent developer on Bear Mtn., plus more hiccups, and this one had all the makings of a fiasco. And yes, the existing traffic light will be removed with the addition of frontage roads connecting to the new interchange.

That said, the latest on the project:

Source: http://www.timescolonist.com/busines...397/story.html

The project in its current state:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASQy4KCD9C...long++crop.jpg

Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASQy4KCD9C...long++crop.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASQy4KCD9C...rpass%2Bup.jpg

Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ASQy4KCD9C...rpass%2Bup.jpg

Edited to Add: Ooopps, I placed a story from January, 2010 - not 2011. Dang, I always get my years mixed up during January.

Quick question, is there suppose to be some pun in regards to spelling stupid "stewpid" that I am missing, maybe a local thing, or is that just bad spelling?

It would sure be nice if the Malahat highway was a full expressway from Victoria to Nanaimo (maybe toll it a buck or two to use). Oh well, at least when this interchange is complete and the lights are removed we will be 1 to 2kms closer, haha.

"Stew"pid is in reference to Langford mayor "Stew" Young concerning Langford taxpayers financing $25 million (on behalf of developers of Bear Mountain) of the $32 million current "interchange to nowhere". It's all about local politics.

Of course, Bear Mountain is currently in receivership and Langford has been unable, as of yet, to recoup the $25 million that it has borrowed.

Source: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimesc...0f9a99&k=10116

I believe that would be a reference to the longtime mayor of Langford, Stewart Young.

Edit: Stingray2004 said it first.

Putting a toll on the Malahat wouldn't be a good idea. I don't like the idea of the use of tolls on routes where there is no alternative for a user.

Now, putting a flat daily-toll rate of 5-10 dollars between Parksville and Campbell river along the 19 where it runs parallel to the 19A could be a possible idea for revenue generation. Unless your making a short trip, in my personal case what used to be Fanny Bay to Qualicum Beach or Courtenay and back, we already use the 19A, but for trips further south or north, say to Parksville/Naniamo or Campbell River, we would use the 19A anyways due to time and fuel savings, which would offset any 5 dollar daily toll.

And what I mean by a daily toll is that you'd get charged once a day, and then keep a receipt or waiver to get through the rest of the day. Or you can pay for a weekly pass of $20, a monthly for $50, or a yearly for $250, etc.

From today:

http://lakecountrybc.blogspot.com/20...een-light.html

Admirals/McKenzie/TCH #1 was indeed included in the original "TCH #1 Victoria Approaches" project. In fact so was a fly-over at Spencer Road. Both were fully designed with land in place and included in original drawings (I worked on it).

However it was not local opposition that nixed them. It was cost overruns on the Inland Island highway section Between Parksville and Campbell River. They (Highway Constructors Limited) needed to cover ~$70 million in cost overruns, so they cancelled Admirals/McKenzie/TCH #1 and the Spencer fly-over.

As for the Pat Bay HWY. I have seen plans (conceptual) more recent than the socred days that converts the Pat Bay into full freeway from the BCF Terminal @ Swartz Bay to Blanchard/Ravine Way at a cost of ~500 million. Sidney council even voted for, and approved, a full interchange at Beacon! This is rumoured to have a possibility of going after the gateway project is complete in the LM. LOL.

New Wildlife overpass on Highway 1 (Kicking Horse Canyon) east of Golden, B.C.:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6017/...67224546_z.jpg

Source: Flickr/TranBC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/...n/photostream/

Clearing and grubbing for new 4/5-lane divided Highway 97, 9-km alignment above Wood Lake between Winfield and Oyama:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6016/...aca4f39e_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/...cec32d75_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6002/...1f986a99_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/...11050588_z.jpg

Source: Flickr/TranBC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/page2/

Cool! I didn't realize that this upgrade of Highway 97 was U/C yet.

:previous:Same here!

I just drove that stretch of highway on Thursday, and i was thinking to myself, "When are they going to start this project!"

Thanks for the picks stingray. :)

Also on Okanagan notes, the new 4 lane stretch north of Summerland is finally done, and boy is it nice! Same with the new 4 lane stretch of highway 33 going up black mountain.

The Summerland to Greata Ranch bit was done before I left Penticton last fall.

Some more recent Hwy 97 clearing and grubbing pics between Winfield and Oyama:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6140/...548b507b_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6127/...850dc227_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/...4fcba6b5_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/...78bd3f73_z.jpg

Some pics of the new McTavish interchange, Hwy 17, Van Isle:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6023/...ce8ca3db_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/...19182fac_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6029/...70a81a90_z.jpg

Source Flickr/tranbc
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/page1/

Some June, 2011 aerials of the continued Hwy 1, Kicking Horse Canyon upgrades:


http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...UR_DSC9286.jpg

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...en_DSC9308.jpg

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...n__DSC9365.jpg

Some of the completed sections:

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...ho_DSC9443.jpg

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...up_DSC9453.jpg

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...il_DSC9478.jpg

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...rs_DSC9497.jpg

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...op_DSC9523.jpg

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...fe_DSC9531.jpg

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...op_DSC9518.jpg

Source: BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse..._june_2011.htm

Crap, that makes me want to make that drive again, forget the white knuckling in a blizzard on the old highway, this looks like a pleasant drive....

just drove it this Wednesday, it is a great stretch of road now, but boy there is a lot of work to be done from Golden to Kamloops! (there are signs all along the highway saying "4-lanning from Kamloops to BC Border program" every time you come close to a highway construction site.

There are a few 4-lane chunks outside of Revelstoke u/c now.

Once phase 4 of the Kicking Horse gets underway (when will that be?) it would be nice for the government to actually 4 lane a considerable chunk of the #1 at once (with interchanges).

I think the next upgrade should be a single project to make the #1 a continuos freeway from Kamloops to that 10km long 4 lane divided stretch outside of Sicamous.

Phase 4 of the Kicking Horse Canyon project is contingent on securing funding from the federal government and the province. It may be delivered in stages, as the cost estimate is over 600 million.

I completely agree that a freeway should be built from Kamloops to Malakwa. I am a little biased because I recently moved to Salmon Arm from Kamloops, and travel between the two very often.

The 4-lane section from Hilltop Rd to Balmoral in Blind Bay is basically completed: all four lanes are operational, but the construction speed limit of 80 km/hr remains and a little finishing work appears to continue. I'll try and take a few pictures the next time I head through.

Freewayization through Salmon Arm would be a real problem because the south side of the city has built up enough that a bypass may not be feasible or cost effective. There was a study years ago to build a 2km bridge across the Arm through Sunnybrae to east of Canoe*, which to me looks like a good idea, aside from the high cost, and the effect it would have on the local SA economy.


*( http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse..._mgmt_plan.pdf refer to page 28)

Yeah, not much was done to the original Hwy 1 between Kamloops and the AB border with the exception to the ~9km Malakwa twinning in 1984, extending the Coquihalla in Kamloops along Hwy 1 to Hwy 5 in 1987 and the twinning in east Kamloops during the late 1990's. But it now appears that the proverbial tap has been turned on and will stay on.

Phase 3 of the KHC project will have substantial completion later this year. So that makes twinning for 21 km of the 26 km KHC at a total cost of ~$300 million or ~$14 million/km. The project commenced circa 2002 so that's been ~9 years duration for the first 3 phases.

http://www.journalofcommerce.com/article/id46677

Phase 4 encompasses the last 5 km segment of the KHC at ~$630 million or ~$126 million/km - the most expensive segment of highway ever constructed in Canada - twin tunnels, 5 snow/rock sheds, and ~12 bridges/viaducts. It will be very cool upon completion and rival the Glenwood Canyon section of I-70 in Colorado.

Since this section is very costly and complex, I understand that it will be broken down into additional phased segments and could also take another 5 - 8 years. I suspect that one segment will be announced next year.

BTW, the rock wall at the top of this pic (before the highway bends around the corner) will be the future west tunnel portal entrance:

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...en_DSC9308.jpg

Parks Canada has also been working on the Banff National Park twinning of Hwy 1 since 1981 and that will also be substantially completed to the AB/BC border by late next year. I understand that Parks Canada also intends to continue twinning Hwy 1 into BC through Yoho NP, with a first 8 km segment toward Field, BC and eventually meet up with the KHC section of Hwy 1.

A few other projects are also under construction including the Clanwilliam and Donald bridges twinning projects between Revelstoke and Golden.

Finally, BC MoT seems to have worked out an arrangement with First Nations and the first phase of the ~$100 million Monte Creek - Pritchard - Hoffman's Bluff section has been put out to tender after sitting dormant since funding was announced in 2008.

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/BCHighways/c...h%20Report.pdf

BTW, I would have preferred a new Hwy 1 corridor east of Pritchard through the Turtle Valley, which would have considerably shortened travel times. But alas, I suspect that the communities along the current alignment would have balked at some with the diversion of traffic.

As for the future bypass of Salmon Arm, with a new crossing of Shuswap Lake, that's still very long term - it was coined the "Ford Road to Canoe" section and a better routing diagram exists in the following .pdf file:

http://web.archive.org/web/200310060.../MikeBaker.pdf

A bit of Catch 22 for B.C. The most dangerous stretches (and most in need of upgrades) are also the most expensive to do. Kicking Horse canyon, Roger's Pass etc. Compare that to the stretch west of Golden to where the highway starts cliombing to Roger's Pass. It is relatively flat and straight, following a river valley. It would be much easier, faster, and cheaper to make it 4 lane but I suppose the benefits are not as apparent. However it would allow motorists to make the most of this stretch of road an perhaps be less inclinded to make dangerous passes when they do get slowed down through the steeper sections of road.

I still am unsure of what the whole TCH project is about.
Are they 4 laning the route from Kamllops all the way to the Alberta border? If so is it going to be freeway?
I tried to find a map of BC that shoes 4 lane roads that aren't freeway but I couldn't. Everything is either shown as a freeway or just a standard red lined road.
Can someone tell me exactly what will be done and if the have a link to any more detailed highway map of BC? Thanks.

Some more recent pics of the Winfield to Oyama section of Hwy 97 north of Kelowna:

[Edited - Pics no longer seem available from the link]

Can anyone confirm the $630 million number?
I thought $630mil was for the tunnel option

The Surface Route option:
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse/khc_phase-4.htm
more specifically the Design Update:
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/kickinghorse...al-Yoho_Br.pdf
I thought was cheaper - I have $380mil on the brain from an earlier encarnation of the surface route design update webpage.

Wouldn't you get more bang for the buck using that money for
-the ~20km to the Columbia Crossing@Donald
-and then the ~27-28km up to the Glacier Park Boundary
-How much would be left over to go towards Cranbook(~250km) - should be enough to at least to get to Invemere?
-Highly unlikely to get enough to go to the AB border(~150km)...
-or go the other way through the Blaeberry Valley up to Howse Pass?
while the feds finish off the Yoho/Banff sections?

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/publications...rch%202005.pdf
P.7 Suggests the Trans-Canada Projects
-Kamloops-Revelstoke four laning plus
-Kicking Horse
+ other Bridges
would be done in 11-20 years(from 2005)

The Donald Bridge website.. Didn't think it was there the last time I've checked...
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayproje...nald/index.htm

The map.. Still seems to be a lot of intersections for such a small area..
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayproje...ail_11by17.jpg

:previous:Hey thanks for the update. I drove past the new Donald Bridge being constructed last month.

Would be nice to see a real project on the #1 start, no more drawn out 2 to 4km phases. Would be great to see 50 km chunks or larger being twinned and upgraded to 100km h design standards in a single go.

Better yet, twin large segments into a divided freeway standard... or at the very least, build proper accel/deaccel lane with RIRO access so they look like a proper exit... I was hoping that they use an interchange for the Donald Road intersection (with the road pass under the CPR overpass and RIRO on both sides to save cost), and connect the Cemetery Road with Douald Road with at-grade CPR crossing (not like the cemetery got so much traffic that it need a separate exit).

On the other hand, phase 1 of the twinning between Monte Creek and Pritchard began today (I still can't believe they have to break up a 10km twinning project on a flat land into multiple phases). This phase will twin the first 3km, with a completion date of fall 2012. The entire project will be done by.... approximately 2017....

Well, at least they're dividing this one, unlike the recent twinning of Hwy 97C and TCH near Sorrento area... (does the concrete median barrier really cost alot??)

:previous:Well, given the cost of building roads in BC i hope the goal is to have the #1 a full freeway, divided where possible, to Salmon Arm, and then from Salmon Arm to the Alberta border have it the 100km h design with barriers in place and as many interchanges as possible (a few local low volume non interchange access points in the rural areas are ok, they have them throughout the Prairies on their 4 lane highways).

But yeah, i cant believe they are breaking up 10km into multiple phases as well, i thought the 10km stretch was the first phase of a larger project...

I would love to have the intersections on the east side of Kamloops removed as well with frontage streets built (which already largely exist i believe)

OK, so the 3.5km includes the Truck Scale complex. Still unclear if it's 2 lanes on each side or 4 on the north(which appears to be what the plans suggest?) instead of the current one on each side?

They should have just built a 20 km or so new alignment route with a new bridge on the west side of the Columbia River instead.

Its already 2 lanes on the south side:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=donald+...138.01,,0,6.61

My understanding is that the only reason the 10km segment is being broke into multiple phases is due to the ongoing archeological research happening in the phase 2 section. Once the government finishes negations with the local band (can't remember which one) the project should go forward.

OK I see what you mean... I travelled through there Westbound(N-ish geographically) so I would have only seen a single lane going the other way
from google Earth - what I labelled as being between Scale3.jpg and Scale4.jpg:

-->GoogleEarth Street View screen captures viewing behind on #1 Eastbound lanes (N-S geographically)
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale9.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale8.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale7.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale6.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale5.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale4.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale4.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale3.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale3.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale2.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/f...ale/Scale1.jpg

That being said - where it is 2 eastbound lanes - looks fairly rough - resurfacing definitely required

Just stumbled on this thread - lots of great info in one place that I've been looking for.

Thanks for the updates guys - keep them coming.

I really hope they don't stop working on getting the TC#1 twinned through BC until it is all done.
:cheers:

via twitter

Thanks to Vanriderfan for making this find and posting in the Canada section. Thought it also would fit nicely in here!

]

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...iw2ZwmDEI#t=0s" target="_blank">Video Link

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBLRA..._embedded#t=5s" target="_blank">Video Link

Clanwilliam Bridge Replacement page added to "Trans-Canada Highway 1
- Kamloops to Golden Project" B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure page
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayproje...liam/index.htm

Some fresh construction pics of the new divided highway 97 alignment between Winfield and Oyama:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6...b39fba26_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6...2938723b_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6...e8301c31_z.jpg

Source: Flickr/TranBC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/...th/6501717917/

:previous:Thanks for posting! Things are moving along there.

When complete you can go from metro-Vancouver to Vernon with no 2 lane highway stretches anymore.