Bridge widening project will provide southern Vancouver Island with more reliable public transit service

SAANICH, BC, March 15, 2024 /CNW/ - Two key highway bridges in Saanich will be widened to accommodate dedicated bus lanes after a combined investment of $35.5 million from the federal and provincial governments.

Announced by Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Minister Rob Fleming, this project will support more reliable, efficient travel between the West Shore and downtown Victoria.

Funding will widen, retrofit, and renew the Colquitz River Bridges over Burnside Road on Highway 1, extending and connecting the bus lanes in both directions between Tillicum Road and Admirals-McKenzie Interchange, while making the bridges more resilient to seismic events. Additionally, the new bus lanes will create a continuous transit corridor between downtown Victoria and the interchange, reducing traffic congestion and improving transit service reliability.

The project will further construct new bridge drainage systems and plant rain gardens below to better filter roadway run-off and protect the habitat in and around the Colquitz River.

"To build a brighter future for Canadians, the federal government is investing in projects that improve connectivity and resiliency. Widening the Colquitz River bridges will make for a more reliable, efficient commute for south Islanders while protecting local waterways and ecosystems. We will continue investing in public transit infrastructure that makes it easier for residents to navigate their communities and that contributes to a greener future."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for North Vancouver, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"Making our infrastructure sustainable while supporting rapid bus capacity is a priority. This area is such a busy pinch point for people who travel and commute between downtown Victoria and the West Shore communities on the Island. We need to facilitate a stronger transportation network that ensures people can reduce their commute times from work and school to home."

The Honourable Rob Fleming, B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

• The federal government is investing $12,000,000 through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of British Columbia is investing $23,500,000.
• This stream supports the building, expansion, and upgrading of urban and rural transit networks.
• Investments in public transit help Canadians get where they need to be, create new manufacturing and construction jobs, reduce pollution, and make life more affordable.
• Including today's announcement, over 57 infrastructure projects under the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream have been announced in British Columbia, with a total federal contribution of more than $2.48 billion and a total provincial contribution of nearly $3.15 billion.
• The federal government is investing $14.9 billion over the next eight years in reliable, fast, affordable, and clean public transit. This funding includes $3 billion per year in permanent, predictable federal public transit funding which will be available to support transit solutions beginning in 2026-27.
• Since 2015, the federal government has announced an unprecedented investment of over $30 billion in thousands of transit projects in communities across the country.
• Under the Investing in Canada Plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
• Infrastructure Canada helps address complex challenges that Canadians face every day?ranging from the rapid growth of our cities, to climate change, to environmental threats to our water and land.
• Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling all requirements related to consultation with Indigenous groups.

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Public Transit Infrastructure Stream
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/pti-itc-eng.html 

Federal infrastructure investments in British Columbia
https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-bc-eng.html

Strengthened Climate Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview.html 

South Island Transportation Strategy
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-reports-and-reference/reports-studies/vancouver-island/south-island-transportation-strategy

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SOURCE Infrastructure Canada