MOTI Open House on Hwy 14 Improvements

The BC Ministry of Transportation (MOTI) held an open house yesterday, December 3, at Edward Milne School and one of OPSRRA’s members filed the report below.

Report from MOTI Open House on hwy 14 improvements

Proposed improvements are slated for Highway 14 from Otter Point Road to Woodhaven Road; These include the widening of roadway shoulders, paving the shoulders, repairs to road surfaces and bridges and the paving of the travel lanes along the length of the project. In summary (and the list may be incomplete):

• The project is expected to go out to tender before Christmas; likely a 4-week turn-around for submissions. This is the period where qualified firms submit a competitive bid to MOTI to complete the work specified in the design and specifications package.
• At least two engineering firms, Binnie and McElhanney are currently engaged in design elements of the project. They are designing the improvements, not building them.
• Project award is anticipated to occur in early 2020 when a successful contractor is selected and all the required paperwork to meet MOTI contract requirements are submitted to the Ministry’s satisfaction.
• A pre-construction meeting is being proposed by MOTI for the Spring of 2020 once the contractor has met all MOTI requirements.
• Roadway/shoulder preparation will be initiated in Spring/Summer of 2020 with clearing and grubbing of Highway 14 shoulders to prepare for widening.
• Construction of widened shoulders, and subsequent paving of both the shoulders and travelling lanes will begin in 2021.
• There will be geotechnical enhancements conducted on both Muir Creek and Kirby Creek bridges, 6 different components in total for both bridges; various segments require attention; traffic delays are to be expected; alternating one traffic during the day and some complete closures, likely 4/5 hours in length at night (accommodation for emergency responders requirements have been discussed with the various agencies built in).
• Westbound and Eastbound pull-outs are included in the project – these are in addition to the existing one at Anderson Road.
• Additional signage notifying motorists of curves and cornering.
• Areas of asphalt slumping will be repaired prior to paving of the travel lanes.
• BC Hydro and Telus will both be completing pole relocations/removal or re-alignment as part of this project.
• Project completion is anticipated later in 2021.

Here are some of the things that as of yet do not form part of the project, at least they were identified in the materials available at the Open House from MOTI:

• Speed limit reductions.
• Review of passing lane geometry – like at Anderson Road or down Shirley Hill toward Woodhaven both directions.
• Any road realignment – Muir Creek/Adcock’s Corner.
• Pedestrian crossings or lighting improvements.

MOTI can be contacted on this project at highway14@gov.bc.ca; the project website is http://www.gov.bc.ca/highway14 where considerable information is shown for the Connie Road to Glinz Lake Road improvements is shown but none for the Otter Point Road/Woodhaven Road portion. I am going to ask staff to include the storyboard from the photo above to the project website so residents of the affected area can be better informed.