Traffic Concerns: Back to School
As students across the District of Sooke prepare to return to school, the District is asking residents to plan ahead for increased traffic congestion, particularly around school sites, as Charters Road remains closed for ongoing construction.
With Charters Road still under construction and school resuming, residents should expect heightened traffic volumes on Highway 14 and within the town centre. The District strongly advises allowing extra time for travel and, most importantly, being vigilant about safety in school zones. This includes slowing down, being prepared for increased vehicle and pedestrian traffic around school sites, and respecting school bus signage. Drivers are reminded to stop in both directions when school bus stop signs are deployed to ensure the safety of all children.
I understand that for many of you reading this update, it is disappointing that more cannot be done sooner, and I want to assure you that identifying ways to alleviate traffic delays is a top priority for the District. To that end, over the summer, the District contracted with two consultants to explore several options proposed by a local traffic committee to mitigate congestion. Unfortunately, upon further analysis, most of these options did not yield as favourable results as hoped. The analysis showed that there may be minimal improvements if implemented, but it could not be proven that they would have a material impact on daily commuting times. One option recommended by the consultants and staff was to work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) on traffic light optimization.
I am pleased to inform you that this work has already begun. Because we know that solving this problem will take every level of government working together, the District is pleased to report that a collaboration between MoTI, ICBC, and the District is funding this work. ICBC is contributing 50% of the funding, with the District and MoTI contributing 25% each toward the project cost. Further updates will be provided as this project progresses.
In addition to exploring suggestions from the traffic committee and seeking alternatives not identified in the District’s Transportation Master Plan over the summer, the District requested an evaluation of options to open Charters Road to single-lane alternating traffic or to conduct night work. However, this too was met with unfavourable results. Early cost estimates and the potential for project delays of several weeks, combined with concerns about labour shortages and adapting site safety for construction crews and the public, mean that focusing on reaching substantial completion of Charters Road by the scheduled date of October 31, 2024, is the most viable way to ease traffic congestion.
Beyond Charters Road, the District is continuing efforts to address traffic flow issues through several medium-term initiatives. These include the Little River Crossing Pedestrian Project, anticipated to open for the 2025-2026 school year, the finalization of designs for the Throup Road Connector and Phillips Road Corridor, and securing provincial support for the design of a right-turn lane from the Sooke River Bridge to Phillips Road.
We are working with School District 62, BC Transit, CRD, ICBC, T’Sou-ke, RCMP, and MoTI on a regular basis to identify common goals and solutions. While I appreciate that it feels like everything is taking too long, we need to remind ourselves that these problems didn’t arise overnight and won’t be solved overnight either. It’s going to take us working together and learning from past mistakes to solve this problem, and I am confident we can achieve this goal.
The District of Sooke appreciates the community’s patience and understanding as we work to improve traffic conditions and pedestrian safety. We encourage all residents to stay informed, plan their commutes accordingly, and prioritize safety as children return to school.
Media contact:
Raechel Gray, Chief Administrative Officer
District of Sooke
Phone: 250-642-1634
Email: rgray@sooke.ca