A petition with 6,400 signatures requesting a bypass and improvements to Highway 101 was presented to the B.C. legislature on Wednesday.
Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons submitted the petition during the afternoon Question Period, reiterating its call for a bypass.
Robin Merriott, founding member of SC101 Highway Society, the group behind the petition, attended the parliamentary session with three other group members, along with Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) chair Lori Pratt and Sechelt Chamber of Commerce director John Henderson.
“We need a real highway instead of the existing two lane route, which is inadequate for the rapid growth in residential, commercial and visitor traffic volumes,” wrote Merriott in an email to Coast Reporter.
The advocacy group members and Simons were also scheduled to meet with Transportation Minister Claire Trevena on Wednesday. During the meeting, Merriott said, “we will be able to present our case for a new, state of the art, spectacular scenic highway from Langdale to Sechelt.”
The group has sought and received support from the SCRD, District of Sechelt, the Sechelt Chamber of Commerce, Sechelt Downtown Business Association and BC Ferries. MP Pamela Goldsmith-Jones also supports the group, according to Merriott.
In February, the Ministry of Transportation confirmed that traffic and highway safety engineers will inspect a 30-kilometre section of the highway from Langdale to the north end of Sechelt.
