Highway 101 upgrades are being planned for the Gibsons area after the Ministry of Transportation approved $900,000 for several initiatives.
In an announcement on Tuesday, transportation minister Kevin Falcon said the investment of $900,000 over the next three years will improve safety on Highway 101 in Gibsons.
Falcon said the funding reflects the ministry's continuing commitment to work with the communities of Gibsons and Sechelt to make safety improvements along the Highway 101 corridor. According to the ministry, the measures to be implemented are in response to a comprehensive safety review initiated in October 2005 and complement the $1.2 million spent in the fall of 2006 that added a fourth lane to Highway 101. "Highway 101 is the key roadway of the Sunshine Coast, and making it safe is vital," said Falcon. "This investment will make the highway safer for the travelling public in and around Gibsons."
According to the ministry, the final design will be determined by traffic engineering studies and in consultation with the Town of Gibsons. The improvements are expected to include: addition of new traffic signals; widening of the highway to accommodate left turn bays and the addition of bicycle lanes; and the addition of a wide, raised median.
Gibsons' contribution to this partnership may include pedestrian and sidewalk improvements as well as landscape treatments to improve safety and aesthetics.
"These critical improvements to this high-traffic section of Gibsons Way are going to truly address the recurring safety issues, significantly assist drivers' comfort and noticeably enhance the streetscape in upper Gibsons," said Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk. "Council appreciates the wise investment by the province in our vibrant community."
