The economic downturn that's gripping stock markets and deflating home values could be a silver lining for the long-planned highway upgrade between Field Road and the Construction Aggregates conveyor belt in Sechelt.
Minister of Transporta-tion and Infra-structure (MoTI) Kevin Falcon updated Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid and Coun. Keith Thir-kell on the status of several highway projects on the Coast last Wed-nes-day (Oct. 15), after Thirkell requested a meeting with the minister at September's Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Penticton.
"We're seeing a little softening in property values now, and that might work to our benefit," Falcon told Coast Reporter. He said he's directed his staff to look at a phased approach to getting the 4.8-kilometre project completed.
The plan includes expropriating some property frontage to widen the highway, put in left turn lanes and establish a sidewalk and bikeway. The District of Sechelt has set aside $1 million for the work.
Falcon said his staff is accelerating work on bus pullouts along the highway to address "the general concern about traffic movement on Highway 101." The pullouts could be built during the spring highway paving season, pending budget approval. The MoTI has allocated at least $500,000, and more could be leveraged through the SCRD, that the ministry has a good working relationship with, Falcon said.
While visiting the Coast, the minister said he spent 15 minutes observing the traffic near Sunnycrest Road - enough to convince him the planned upgrades to the Gibsons Way section of Highway 101 are needed.
"One thing that has not been explained well is that you want to create a situation where traffic moves through there," he said, adding dropping four lanes to two won't necessarily slow traffic, since left-turn bays will keep jams from occurring.
More bike lanes are also on the horizon, Falcon said, if municipalities use the province's cycling infrastructure partnership program, under which a local government can apply for up to $250,000 in funding for cycling infrastructure. The province will fund up to half the cost of approved projects.
The province is also spending $31 million over the next three years for new bike lanes, Falcon added. Of that amount, $6 million will go to B.C.'s rural communities.
The minister also told Reid and Thirkell he supports a full regular schedule for B.C. Ferries' route three (Langdale to Horseshoe Bay) and is looking at greener, smaller vessels for low-demand sailings. Thirkell suggested the minister look into using the Bowen Island ferry on route three after it finishes its service to Bowen each night.
Falcon also said he'd also like to remove the fuel surcharge, presumably through an increased provincial subsidy to each route. Two days after their meeting, the fuel surcharge was cut by 50 per cent for most routes.
