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Is the Whitevale road project out of Lumby BC ever going to resume? It’s been dormant for months. Seems other road projects are being started and finished in a timely fashion. Why not this road?
This road has become a danger now as everyone drives on the paved side of the road, it won’t be long before a head on collision happens.
Hi Concerned,
Thanks for your letting us know of your safety concerns with the Whitevale Road project. I will check in with our folks involved with that, and get back to you here.
Hi Concerned,
I checked in with our area manager, and that project is actually a Village of Lumby project. You can contact them about the issue here: https://www.lumby.ca/content/contact-us
Hey Tran BC, how come the plan your route tool on DriveBC is gone? I really liked that feature! or.. is it still there and i’m blind!
Thanks,
Kirsten
Hi Kirsten,
No, you’re not blind! We have deactivated “Plan Your Route” for now because in the current wildfire situation, it was not effectively routing people around the closures and was potentially causing safety issues. We will likely not restore this service until after the all the wildfire closures have ended. Sorry for the inconvenience, we will bring it back as soon as possible.
So basically,when the public COULD REALLY benefit from the “Plan your Route” since the regular routes they are familiar with are closed, the app is also Closed due to Wildfire. Sounds like that’s somewhere to employ some IT firefighting resources and long term mitigation strategies!
Hi. Your website currently says “Highway 97 closed between Chase Falkland Rd at Falkland and Paxton Rd at Monte Lake”. As of July 27 at 7:30 AM. But – there is a traffic control person that is stopping westbound vehicles BEFORE Chase Falkland Road, claiming that Chase Falkland Road is closed. The intended route was to take Chase Falkland Road north to Highway 1 at Chase, and from there to Kamloops. Another traffic control person near Vernon is telling vehicles that getting through to Chase Falkland Road is fine….so somewhere the communication lines are getting crossed. Either the information on your webpage is incorrect/incomplete, or your traffic control personnel are receiving poor direction. Thanks.
Thanks for letting us know of this concern Kevin. I will share it forward with our people involved with traffic management in that area.
Hi There.
What Year They replace black creek bridge in highway 19A
This used to be wooden bridge in 1966 and they replace to concrete guardrail bridge!
Hi Harry,
I’m checking into that and will get back to you here.
Hi Harry,
The Black Creek Bridge on Hwy 19A was replaced in 1977, with a concrete bridge.
I am trying to find out when Hwy 97D washout from this spring will be repaired? The creek is completely dry now. I have loads that need to be moved over this route that are 2″ too wide for the single lane temporary bridge. The last update I can find is this:
Maintenance Highway 97D Both directions – Highway 97D is OPEN to single lane alternating traffic 10 km East of Junction with Highway 97C in Logan Lake. No vehicles over 3.2m wide. Updated on Tue May 30 at 2:25 pm PDT. (ID# -64229)
Hi Brad,
We have sent your question forward to the local area manager for follow up. Stay tuned.
Hello again Brad,
Our area manager confirmed we are working through the design process for the replacement infrastructure at this crossing and the ministry will have Highway 97D open to two lane traffic before the first snow fall of 2017. There may be additional works at the site in summer 2018. Hope that this helps. Thanks for connecting with us here.
Can you please advise who the contractor is that’s responsible for the single lane temporary bridge?
I have sent your question directly to them for the info Brad. Stay tuned.
Hi again Brad,
The ministry and the road maintenance contractor are maintaining the single lane bridge.
Hello,
I am a paramedic for the BC Ambulance service and I need to commute from the Lower Mainland to Prince George, in order to get to my station. Will I be allowed to pass through any of of the current highway closures?
Hi Jennifer,
We recommend you take Highway 5 and 16 north of Kamloops instead of passing through the impacted areas to get to Prince George. Given your role as a first responder you might be given access where possible, but because the fires are still so volatile, actual highway access may be impossible in some areas. DriveBC is your best source of info for road closure information, we recommend checking it before you leave and wherever possible along your trip. Highway 5/16 is showing some delays due to volume, so you might want to give yourself extra time. Hope that this helps.
My wife and daughter were travelling from Merrit to Hope this morning and they encountered a small issue with their car. They stopped at the Box Canyon construction zone and the crew there was amazing, they even had someone heading in to town so they followed my family into Hope in a pickup to make sure they made it OK. I am wondering how I can find out the name of the company that is doing the work there so that I can personally thank them. On the map the construction shows as ID64114.
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing that good vibe story, Marty. That’s so good to hear. The contractor is Jakes Construction Ltd. I’ve also let the project manager know. Cheers!
I was Riding in Highway 19A Campbell river to Black Creek and I saw Someone has Spary Painted the Blue Saratoga Beach Sign in Near Oyster River Bridge and They Never clean or replace the signs.
Thanks for looping us in on this Harry. We are looking into it for you.
Hello,
Are you planning on posting any Malahat construction updates in the near future? Long overdue…. Thx.
Hi Jerry,
If there is anything specifically you are looking for, we can ask the project manager and let you know. Otherwise, we won’t be able to post anything proactively (unless it’s emergency related) until the government has been officially formed.
Following up on the Malahat discussion, I drove this route last weekend and noticed distinctly parsimonious use of speed limit signs. If my recollection is correct, there was one 60 KPH sign at the beginning of the construction zone, then nothing until almost the end. This must have been at least 10 minutes of driving time.
There was little to no work under way at the time. I practice driving at the speed limit, so I drove 60 KPH for this distance of one lane road, but I sensed that other drivers did not appreciate that the was in effect the whole distance until the signage indicating that the “Construction Zone Ends Resume Speed” signage.
I suggest the contractor put up 60 KPH signs every 500 to 1000 meters in each direction in this construction zone. Signs are cheap in comparison to lives (and tickets).
Hello Ernie,
Thank you for this comment. We have shared it with the project manager directly.
Hi. I am a cyclist and just took a nasty tumble on a bike lane that the District of North Vancouver says is MOT property.
The incident happened just after the pedestrian/cyclist crossing you have for eastbound traffic from Main Street to get onto the Second Narrows Bridge.
There is a ton of sand from snow clearing, I assume, sitting all over the bike paths in the area (also on the bike lanes when approaching from Westbound). After using the crosswalk as I tried to accelerate my wheels lost traction in the sand and I fell. As a result of this I cut my knees up in a few places.
It is great that MoT has the consideration to add bike lanes, but they need to be maintained. I can send you pictures of the excessive sand build ups in numerous areas by the second narrows bridge on the bike lanes. I’d like to know what will be done about it. Thanks.
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for letting bringing this location to our attention. We shared your comment forward directly with the local area manager who told us that we have requested our maintenance contractor clear the sand off the sidewalk at this location. We expect the work to be completed shortly.
MOT should be aware it is not just in the bicycle lanes that Mainroad needs to sweep the road better, though I clearly understand the serious safety risk it poses specifically to cyclists. There is an extensive accumulation of sand and other deritus along the center median and less noticeably on the shoulders from Ironworker’s bridge thru Brunette. Large objects generally appear to get picked up, but there’s no evidence the roadway has been swept in 2017.
Hi Ian,
Sorry for the delay. We have sent your question to our local area office for follow up. Stay tuned.
Hi Ian,
Our apologies for the delay in this response. We sent your comment to the local area office for follow up and they informed us that our sweeping cycle is conducted every 120 days. To date we have completed about 208 km of sweeping in the area however, due to the last prolonged winter, we have had extensive abrasive material spreading, which delayed the spring cleaning. But, although the initial sweep took longer than usual to complete, we are now back on schedule. Hope that this helps.
Although water is available at sanidumps located at
1) Bradner rest area,westbound, 52.5 KM east of Vancouver
2) Cole Road rest area, eastbound, 73.0 KM east of Vancouver
there is no signage to indicate the type of water available.
Is the water potable or non-potable at these two sanidumps?
Hi Amrit, Thanks for your question about whether water at the sanidumps at Bradner and Cole Road Rest Areas is potable. I am checking into this and will get back to you here.
Hi Amrit, Our person responsible for those rest areas says that the water is potable and supplied by the City of Abbotsford. They are looking into adding signs that say it is potable.
We need Variable Speed Limit Signs install in Highway 19 and 19A
Hi Harry,
Thanks for your suggestion. The three corridors which currently display Variable Speed Limit Systems are part of a trial. If the systems are successful, they will be considered along other roadways, such as Highway 19/19A.
Here’s a link to more information about the project: https://www.tranbc.ca/2015/12/02/variablespeedlimitsigns/
For some reason when I submitted this my comment was replaced with my address… Here is the comment
Hello, contacted you last year regarding 2 issues in Abbotsford, wanting update…
Regarding Hwy 1 westbound offramp @ McCallum, road markings indicate left lane may turn left or go straight, but over head green sign says the left lane may also turn right. Was told the maintenance contractor(EAM) would be covering up the right arrow on the green sign, but has not done so yet.
Second, regarding fencing along highway 1. I would like to again request chain link fence be installed on the south side of Hwy 1 from the Riverside Rd overpass west into the tree’d area, adjacent to King Rd (just west of Sumas). This is the area where a number of pedestrians have been killed on the highway, and it is right next to the cities homeless shelter. It is a clear stretch of manicured lawn from the highway to the adjacent roads and there is no fence on this portion for some reason. It would be very nice if a fence could be installed before another human being wanders onto that portion and is killed.
Thanks
Hello Jim,
We have followed up again about your request for a change to the overhead sign. Thanks for following up on that! And our apologies as it looks like we did get a reply on your question, but it wasn’t shared back with you. Here’s what we heard from the area manager in November:
The ministry maintains a chain link fence in the area between McCallum Rd Interchange and Sumas Way Interchange however, there are some gaps closer to Sumas Way that have been identified and we are planning to install fencing at these locations. We do have ongoing issues with people cutting the fences that we install but our maintenance contractors are vigilant and repair the cuts when they occur.
Hope that this helps.
Hello again Jim,
The local area manager has confirmed that the overhead signs were changed last week. Thanks again for following up.
Intersection of Cherry Point Road and Cherry Point Road, Cowichan Bay
Several years ago a stop sign was installed at this intersection. I think the stop sign it’s a good idea, however I think it was inadvertently placed on the wrong corner.
The explanation is quite complex. Whom do I contact to communicate about this in more detail?
Hello Ernie,
Please connect with our area office directly. Here is their contact information:
3rd floor – 2100 Labieux Rd.
Nanaimo, BC V9T 6E9
250 751-3246
Is there a road between Whistler and Port Moody Bria Indian Arm?
Hello, would you tell me if there are any future plans to develop a road between Whistler and the Lower Mainland, (Port Moody/Maple Ridge), perhaps via the north end of Indian Arm or east of Indian Arm. Thank you
Hi Jan,
Good question. We have sent your question to the local area office to find out. Stay tuned.
Who puts up poles for osprey nesting platforms? There is a pair of birds trying to build a nest on the 3 phase power pole at my worksite. I see platforms put in place throughout the Okanagan valley for the birds and I thought it was a hydro program as they are all parallel to power lines but Hydro has referred me to MOT instead. Please let me know who I can call about this.
Thank you
Hi Marcia,
We worked in coordination with our contractors to put up this pole as it was alongside our infrastructure. You can call our regional office in Kamloops for more information if you like. Here is their contact info:
Southern Interior Regional Office
447 Columbia Street
Kamloops, BC V2C 2T3
Telephone: 250 828-4220
Hi James,
Thanks for your thoughts on lane filtering for motorcycles in stationary or slow-moving traffic.
The provincial government is not considering lane filtering for motorcycles at this time. Should that change in the future, any consideration of lane filtering would involve a full analysis of existing research and a look into the experiences of jurisdictions which permit the practice. It would also likely require a consultation where all road users and stakeholders could comment on the topic, as any change would impact all. Since many people use a highway system, any decision on law changes would not be based only on the opinions of motorcyclists, but all users of roads and all operators of roads such as municipalities and the provincial government.
I wish to know Tranbc’s thoughts on motorcycle filtering is stationary or slow moving traffic.
It has been proven, through historical data and university studies, that filtering reduces severed motorcyclist injuries or death caused through being rear ended by distracted or inattentive drivers in stationary or slow moving traffic.
There are no studies or data in existence that indicates filtering is unsafe.
What is transBC doing to study and implement this safety initiative, used in many countries successfully throughout the world, and thus help save more motorcyclist lives?
Wondering what is going to be done about the serious slide-about-to-happen on Kault Hill on the Trans Canada Hwy near Tappen (west of Salmon Arm)? The safety warning equipment is disappearing into the hole as it widens daily! this portion of the TCH should have been improved long ago. The potential for a major disruption of both local and long distance traffic seems strong and would have serious repercussions.
Hi Joan,
We’ve sent your inquiry to the local office. We will update you as soon as possible.
Hi again Joan. A geotechnical engineer has assessed Kault Hill and it’s being monitored. The area is marked by cones and flashing boards that occasionally get blown over by passing vehicles. We are working at getting some heavier safety devices to eliminate this problem. We have just received an estimate for the repair and are in the process of reviewing all our options and making a decision. Hope this information helps.
Could somebody please direct Mainroad to paint the outer white lines on the on-ramps and off-ramps for Highway 1, 1st Ave and Boundary Road interchanges? As evidenced looking in Google StreetView time machine, these lines were NEVER repainted after the Hwy 1 widening project.
Every single day as I travel through there I observe someone either fails to merge or enters the on-ramp lane expecting it to continue as an off-ramp. Perhaps this is a reflection of poor signage as well as missing lane markings.
On the “stretch objectives, is the width of the roadway sufficient in either direction to physically mark an additional lane connecting the on-ramp / off-ramp in the manner most people seem to expect there is one.
Hello Ian,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. We have sent your comment forward to the local area office for follow up.
Hi,
I noticed last week the lane markings have in fact been painted on the 1st and Boundary on/off ramps w/ HWY 1. And to my surprise, so too were the pavement lane merge arrows! Unfortunately, given the nature of the Boundary on-ramp: the short, “S” curve approach, no acceleration lane, direct merge at a taper, there really needs be one more arrow further back on the ramp (I thought the came in 3+’s and noticed only 2). People are still being caught out as the lane tapers so quickly.
A follow-up question as well. It seems MOST of the on-ramps along Highway (W of Pt. Mann for sure) are missing pavement lane merge arrows. These are absolutely necessary, especially on approaches like Boundary, like Mt Seymour Pkwy, Lynn Valley (W) and others, where there is no acceleration section, then taper. Are these not required markings per the Manual of Standard Traffic Sign & Pavement Markings? Are the Yellow “Merge” signs also in place on these on-ramp designs (ie: no accel lane)?
To the layman, the MST/PM does not seem to distinguish between on/off-ramp designs with and w/o accel-/decel-eration lanes in terms of requirements. It should.
I would encourage you to direct Mainroad to review all the highway on-ramps, especially those w/o acceleration lanes and ensure the white lines, dashed lines merge arrows and signs are in place.
ps: Hastings on-ramp white lines are all gone too.
Hi Ian,
Sorry for the delay. We have sent your question to our local area office for follow up. Stay tuned.
Hi Ian,
Thank you for your insightful comment. We shared your message with our area manager who confirmed that our maintenance contractor Mainroad has completed all additional pavement markings and we are currently auditing their completed work. Any design changes/deviations from standards, would require traffic engineering to review those specifications. As a side note at the Mt Seymour and Lynn Valley (w) locations – the ministry plans to re-apply thermoplastic and paint markings in this area, later this summer. Hope that this helps.
Is Hwy 99 north of Lillooet going to be closed on Easter Monday April 17th like any regular Monday in April?
Hi Gillian,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We shared your question with the District Manager, who confirmed that we will have no scheduled closures over the Easter Long weekend. The plan is to be fully open, Friday through to and including Monday. Closures will resume on the Tuesday. Hope that this helps!
Hello.
I live in the district of Kent, along Rockwell drive, near Harrison Hot Springs. The road is a provincial road, and since a house was built across from us, they have a driveway spilling large amounts of rainwater runoff across the road into our property, causing large amounts of pooling. I would like to know who to report this to, and how to deal with it.
thanks
Robert.
Hi Robert,
Thanks for connecting with us here. Please connect directly with our Chilliwack area office.
45890 Victoria Avenue
Chilliwack, BC V2P 2T1
604 795-8211
They will be able to speak with you about your concerns and make a site visit if need be.
Hello
Can you help us finding the geographic locations (latitude and longitude for the two following milepost
“mile 480 Alaska Highway” and “mile 276 Alaska Highway”
The mile whre taken between 1950 and 1956 and as I can see there was some changes regarding historical milespost
We nned the information in order to locate the exact location some plants where collected in that time
Thanks
Jean Burnett
Volonteer
Herbier Marie-Victorin
Institut de recherche en biologie végétale
Université de Montreal
Hello,
We did some calculations of locations approximately 480 and 276 miles from Dawson Creek and found that Mile 480 of the Alaska Highway is roughly 59.4167° N, 126.0833° W and Mile 276 of the Alaska Highway is roughly 58.8050° N, 122.6972° W. Hope that this helps!
I have to make a comment on signage problems at the new Highway 17 and crossing the Alex Fraser bridge going to the airport. We live in Abbotsford and have tried this about 5 times already. Monday night we were going to the airport and tried to get on the Alex Fraser Bridge (in the pouring rain). Total Chaos again…..We were trying to follow the signs very carfully but all you see is little signs in the ground already past the area where you need to see them. To make a long story short, we ended up on an off ramp that we thought was correct to the opposite direction on the highway. We had oncoming traffic that just barely missed us. Another oncoming truck signalled to where we had to go. We are not even visitors and we don’t know what to do. You have to do something about this. When you cross the Alex Fraser bridge there are no signs that have the airport written on it. Please change all of this as everyone is complaining about it
Hello Alice,
Thank you for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. We have shared your comment forward with the local area office for review. Stay tuned!
Hello, I understand that when snow plow vehicles are working the Highway #1, you need to maintain a distance of 50 meters(?) I had a situation where a friend was driving his vehicle and both he and the snow truck approached the 200 Street exits – the snow plow switched lanes to head over to the HOV lane. As a result, my friend started to speed up (no lane switching) and he passed by the snow plow but was hit by the snow that was being plowed off the truck.
Amazingly the snow was able to damaged his vehicle – he has pictures. Is there someone we can take this up with?
Hi James,
Has your friend connected with ICBC regarding this yet?
I am confused about the signage regarding the Port Mann Bridge entrance on United Bulevard in Coquitlam. First off, it’s fairly difficult to even read/see the sign. Secondly, are we allowed to use this entrance to gain access to the bridge? From what I have been able to read, there seems to be time restrictions for the use of this entrance, would you be able to explain the logic.
Thanks kindly for your responses.
Hi Deanna,
Thanks for your comment. We have sent it forward to the local area manager for review. Stay tuned.
When will the southbound right lane be reopened on the Gilmore Division overpass in Burnaby?
Hi Charles. End of March we expect the repairs will be completed, and the southbound curb lane on Gilmore will be open.
Hi im a new class one driver with air brakes endorsement and ive been hearing that if i dont use my license after a period of time it gets taken away from you. Is that true? Ive been applying for jobs,and i dont think that is true but thought i would ask some people who really know whats what. Because I know you can lose it by not complying the medical,dangerous driving,all the normal stuff or it has expired.but thats my question.thanks ☺
Hi Harry. ICBC is responsible for driver’s licences. I’m connecting with them and should have an answer for you soon.
Okay thank you
Hi again, Harry. According to ICBC: As long you maintain a valid Class 1 licence, you won’t lose it. If the licence is expired or you downgrade (to a lower class of licence) for more than three years, then retesting will be required. As long as you don’t have your licence revoked (due to a suspension), and you comply with your medical and continue to renew your licence, you will be able to keep it. Hope this helps.
Thanks a bunch thats what i was telling them but wanted to make sure i knew 100%
Hello im a new class one driver with air brakes endorsement took a class to achieve it.
My question is ive been hearing if you dont use it for a period of time it gets taken away from you is this true?
Becouse im pretty sure it will be is if i fail to comply with the medical and or any moving violations , extremly dangerous driving and or it expires pls any info on this would be greatly appreciated as im new to the whole cdl life. Thank you for yalls time
Hello,
This is a great question and one that should be directed to ICBC. We did a quick search of their website and found this information for you: http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/driver-training/Pages/Commercial-and-airbrakes.aspx
Hope that this helps!
The northbound righthand turn lane from Hwy 11/Sumas Way onto Hwy 1 eastbound needs to be cleared of snow. The entire right turn lane is covered and inaccessible causing a backlog of cars along Hwy 11/Sumas during rush hour.
Thanks for this information Graeme. We have shared it forward with the local area office for follow up.
Hello again Graeme,
We heard back from the area manager who informed us that he contacted the maintenance contractor, Emil Anderson and discussed this issue with their Abbotsford area foreman. All the snow has melted in that area now and the issue is no longer a concern, but he asked the foreman to keep an eye on the right turn lane in the future to ensure that the accumulations do not impede the movement of vehicles from Highway 11 to the eastbound ramp. Thanks again for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. Hope that this helps!
Hi, there
I live on UBC campus, at the crossing by east mall and thunderbird boulevard. One of the traffic lights changed from pedestrian controlled to automatic changing lights that constantly beeps. I woke up last night and the sound was quite disturbing since everything else quiets down and I had a hard time falling asleep. There are student housing and other commercial housing right by this crossing and it might disturb other residents. Is it possible that the sound can be muted coz it did not use to have the beeping.
Thanks
Hi there,
We have sent your comment forward to the local area office for review. Stay tuned.
I am stunned to find out that there are trucks plowing and clearing the parking lot on wembly centre before making the government contract routes safe.We are in Qualicum bay and the “d”routes are still dangerous. No sand/gravel has been even laid down up off the main Meadow wood area roads.
Hi Deborah. Can you please include what roads specifically need attention? We will phone in to our maintenance contractor Emcon Services 1-866-353-3136. Thank you.
I would like to know if Dorothy Rd and David Rd north of Union Bay will be plowed and sand like all the rest of the side roads off highway 19A?
Dorothy Rd has turned into a sheet of ice and making it almost impossible to get to highway 19A.
This is causing a dangerous situation as people drive up the steep grade of hill on Dorothy Rd to make it up to highway 19 A may not be able to stop at the stop sign at the top of Dorothy and slide into on coming traffic travelling north on highway 19A
Thanks
Hi Jon – I phoned in your request to our maintenance contractor Emcon Services. They will follow up with you via email.
Thank you for phoning in my request. The road crew plowed the road that afternoon. Hopefully it will remain on there list to plow and sand.
Jon
Glad to hear this Jon. Thanks for letting us know.
In BC what are the rules on where a 30 km School Zone can be placed? In our neighbourhood the school fronts onto a side street with a posted 30Km school zone 8am -5pm. The much busier street beside the school has a school zone sign but with no speed limit. Therefore vehicles can travel at 50km (although most travel much faster).
Can both school zones around the school be designated as 30 km zones?
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We are only responsible for setting speed limits on the provincial highway system and it sounds like this question is best directed to your local municipality for review. Hope that this helps!
I am writing to bring to your attention, as you may already be aware, that the roads of Shawnigan Lake are in neglectful, hazardous condition.
The majority of our roads around the lake are windy, as well as hilled and primarily have insufficient shoulder space. In my nine years of living in Shawnigan lake, I have never felt safe to go for a run down the main road, as I know it would be a risk, due to fast traffic and blind corners.
Our community lost a little girl this past weekend, when her father’s car hit a hydro pole after a windy, hilled and shoulder-less portion of Shawnigan lake road. I don’t know what it is going to take to have something done to improve the safety of our families, but I am hoping their family will not have suffered this in vein.
I am asking you to meet with our regional directors to address the concerns that they have been trying to bring forward. We are a tenacious bunch, as you may know, and will further write letter upon letter to attract whatever attention is needed to bring our concerns to a place of serious awareness.
I would also like to share with you that I, along with many families are concerned for the safety of our children as they stand by the roadside in the dark, awaiting a school bus. I understand that concerned residents were told that more street signs would cause “sign pollution” and cause drivers to ignore all of the signs due to repetition, etc. I have to say that your answer is lacking any creative solution to the real life safety issues families face every day, as a result of the condition of our roads (The Ministry of Transportation roads, your roads).
We need increased awareness on our road sides that children are ahead (in the dark, just over that hill, or around yet another blind corner).
Not to mention the dozens of tandem dump trucks that pass by our kids (our precious, irreplaceable little ones), all on their way to your local toxic waste pit. How are truck drivers to know that just ahead a small child may wander too near to the edge?
The back roads and more rural areas are seriously scary at times.
I think there could be tools put in place to encourage (or require) drivers to have to slow down.
I would like to see digital speed signs (like they have on the highways) that would alert drivers to their speed.
We have had so many tragedies on our roads in the past few years, and desperately need to be invested in.
I am suggesting that we be given increased bus stop signs in the rural areas of the lake (the areas without streetlights or road shoulders.)
I suggest that you drop the speed around the lake to an even 50km. (Most drivers just assume it’s 60km as an excuse to go faster). This will cause less “room for interpretation” of our speed limits.
Lastly, I would like to point out to you that Shawnigan Lake first responders are also first responders for the Malahat section of the Trans Canada highway. I can only imagine that being a first responder on the Malahat would be challenging enough, but add to it the weight of responding to your own neglected roads, where any call could be your friend, your neighbor, your family.
We collectively, as a community need the support and action of the Ministry of Transportation.
I hope that we won’t be disappointed.
Thank you,
Hello Amber,
Thank you for your letter and for sharing your concerns with us. We have been meeting with regional directors from the CVRD to identify and discuss small scale improvements that are important to the community of Shawnigan Lake roads and will continue to do so. Our local area manager has put forward a funding request for improvements in the area including: signage, lane markings and intersection improvements. Thanks again for connecting with us here. If you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Message:
When are you going to replace burned out lights in the Massey Tunnel?
Lights in the first few hundred feet of the northbound entrance is almost all burned out and dozens of the remaining lights both sides are not working. When drivers don’t put on their headlights it makes it a very dangerous drive.
Hello,
Our electrical crew is aware of the problem and maintenance crews are currently working in the tunnel to repair spot outages. Work should be completed early next week. Hope that this helps!
I work near the Hard Casino in United Blvd in Coquitlam and live on the south side of the Fraser. It would be much quicker and shorter if I could use the Fawcett Rd truck on/off ramps. Why are these ramps not open to cars? It would make more sense in moving traffic to the industrial area on United Blvd.
Hi Gary,
We have sent your question into the district office for review. Stay tuned.
Hello Gary,
We spoke with the local area manager who informed us that the Fawcett Road ramps, previously restricted to commercial vehicles only, are now open to general purpose traffic between the hours of 9pm – 5am on weekdays and on weekends. This change was brought into effect last year, and the associated news release is available at https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016TRAN0215-001387?WT.cg_n=Hootsuite.
The original intent for the truck only ramps was to provide a direct and efficient connection between Highway 1 and United Boulevard for commercial vehicles. This was a result of direct consultation with key stakeholders, including business in the United Boulevard area and the BC Trucking Association. Upon review of post-construction traffic flow in this area, the change was made to provide general traffic with safe access to United Boulevard and local businesses during lower volume off-peak hours.
The ministry will continue to monitor to ensure the ramps remain safe and efficient, and currently there are no plans to extend the hours for general traffic use.
Hope that this helps!
In the United States mountain passes and other areas of snowfall have electronic signs that indicate when snow tires or chains are required. These are the ONLY times such tires are required by law. I would suggest that the Malahat highway would be better served with such a system. There are a very few days when snow tires are required. Some years, none. Besides the extra expense forced on drivers, winter tires are not as safe as rain tires on wet roads, by far the most prevalent condition on the Malahat.
Hello Bruce,
Thanks for your suggestion. We will share it forward for review. Both winter tires and mud+snow (M+S) tires are legally acceptable on the Malahat. M+S tires were included in the definition of winter tires because of a more temperate winter climate in the Lower Mainland and southeastern Vancouver Island. Here is a link to more info: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving/winter-tires-and-chains/about-winter-tires
I was almost hit by a truck travelling westbound 8th ave and 172nd street. This could be a potential accident for someone who does not look before proceeding.
Good morning,
I Live in South Surrey south of 8th ave near the Peace Arch border crossing.
8th avenue has a high volume of commercial trucks going to and from the border crossing on Hwy 15 and the intersection of 8ave/172 street can be a dangerous one with commercial trucks (and all vehicle types) blowing through that light.
Is there any way to have warning lights installed to give the time needed to stop? There have been several accidents all ready and many near misses. Thank you.
Hello Wayne and thank you for connecting with us here. We have sent your concern forward to the local area manager for review.
Hello,
Thank you for your comment and for connecting with us here. We shared your comment with the area manager who informed us that We have communicated with ICBC regarding their “Red Light Camera” program and ICBC have included this location for review and our district engineer is scheduled to visit the site to perform a speed survey and make observations. Advanced Warning Flashers are typically located on high speed corridors and because 8th Avenue is posted 60 km/h, they likely won’t be installed.
The intersection of 8th Ave and 172nd Street fall under your jurisdiction. How many more people will die there before you take action.
This intersection highly needs the installation of flashing warning lights on both west and east of the lights. Commercial semi trucks speeding to the intersection blow right through yellow and red lights. There has to be warnings lights so they prepare to stop.
Please keep us safe.
Hello Ron and thank you for connecting with us here. We have sent your concern forward to the local area manager for review.
Hello,
Thank you for your comment and for connecting with us here. We shared your comment with the area manager who informed us that We have communicated with ICBC regarding their “Red Light Camera” program and ICBC have included this location for review and our district engineer is scheduled to visit the site to perform a speed survey and make observations. Advanced Warning Flashers are typically located on high speed corridors and because 8th Avenue is posted 60 km/h, they likely won’t be installed.
I am deeply saddened to see all the great vintage traffic lights In the 70s & 80s era being destroyed in favor of new garbage traffic lights. It’s not the same anymore. I really wish I could turn back time and relive the moment where all the great green traffic lights in Vancouver were with us. I really wish we can bring those retro traffic lights back, how about making a separate place where we can put old traffic lights back and enjoy the memories, the love. If there is someone who sells old traffic lights, I would like to know.
Hi Crystal,
Our traffic engineers were thrilled to hear about your love of older vintage traffic lights. They told us that, under our electrical maintenance contracts, hardware is disposed of by our electrical contractors and generally you would have to contact either Raylec or Cobra directly to know their recycle processes.
http://raylecpower.ca/
http://www.cobraelectric.com/
Hope that this helps.
Hi there
Could the Hwy 3 for Allison Pass please get plowed. Heading from Hope to Princeton there are 2 lanes each way, but only 1 lane is clear to drive in heading east. Thank you.
Hi Emily,
Thanks for your comment. We have shared your comment forward for review and follow up but wanted to let you know that in the future, if you notice a problem or something that causes you concern on any BC highway, you can contact our maintenance contractor directly with your issues as well. Here’s a link to their information: https://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/maps/serviceareacontacts.htm#map
Spent a good deal of Dec. 29&30 in the east kootenay. Countless wrecks and even fatalities. The average Joe is blaming the highway maintenance contractor. I can’t comment on that, however I noticed huge volumes of liquid calcium being applied all over the place. Near Jaffery today, I had to slow down for a 5 vehicle accident. Even at slow speeds braking was scary. Shortly thereafter another two cars in the ditch. The highway is a skating rink but looks deceptively safe. It was minus. 6 C and it was still being applied. The Ministry of Highways is turning the highways in the east kootenay into very unsafe conditions. I understand that liquid calcium freezes when the temperature falls below 25 degreesF. I am no expert, but after 50 years of winter driving in the west kootenay, I would much prefer a light sanding of grit over liquid calcium that freezes 100 percent of the time.
Hello Hans,
Mainroad East Kootenay, our highway contractor in this area (Service Area 11), uses a product called calcium chloride brine solution. They mix it in house and by weight and it is 23% sodium chloride brine which is then mixed in 3:1 ratio with calcium chloride. It has been tested and the eutectic freeze point, road temperature, is -23. Operationally it has been tested for the previous 2 winters to road temperatures of -15 in SA 11 with success. When applied it does look like it is slippery as the material on the road is very reflective and appears to slick, but it is still in liquid form and not frozen. The solution belongs to our recognized products list and is the same product used in other jurisdictions in the US and Canada as well as other BC maintenance contractors.
A winter chemical is the only effective and quickest way to restore traction by removing snow and ice once road temperatures drop below -6. Winter abrasive is short term solution as it doesn’t stay on the road for long periods of time due to wind, traffic and additional plowing, nor does it remove snow or ice. Hope that this helps!
Wondering if I am able to embed your service map into my own google map?
Hi, I am wondering why if there is a heat wrap for taps outside in the cold weather to prevent them from freezing why don’t the bridges have these wraps made up longer to plug in somewhere in the wiring of lights to heatup the cables to prevent ice bombs in cold weather? In the long run it would prove to be cheaper than paying guys to cable up n down each line with chains during cold snaps.
Hi June,
Good question. We have sent it forward to our Bridge Engineers for review. Thanks for connecting with us here and stay tuned for a response.
Intersection of Mt Lehman & Fraser Hwy. 2 of the corners have slip lanes, 2 do not. The 2 that do not are the ones coming directly from the highway offramps. When they get to intersection, a very high number of these drivers have not woken up from their “highway hypnosis”. The lane on the north east corner is the worst one. A high number of drivers will approach the red light, and only slow, and force their way out into traffic. Many hardly even slow down. They do this while cutting off traffic that has a left turn signal from the left side of the intersection. I have witnessed very many near misses, and countless fail to yields and fail to stop. All the while these right turning drivers are not looking at all to the right for pedestrians. Please implement a no right on red policy for these 2 lanes, or at least the one on the north east side.
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your comment. We have shared it forward with the local area office for review.
Hi, I just notice that BC require winter tire on most Highways. If travel from other provinces do we still mandatory for the winter tire since we don’t mandatory in our province. Thank you!
Hi Greg,
Yes, you will need winter tires to travel in BC, even if they are not mandatory in your province. For more information about what BC requires by way of winter tires and where they are required, check out our winter tire website here: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving
On December 9, 2016 I was travelling from Vancouver to Langley on HWY. I had been at a concernt and had not been aware of the snowfall during the evening. I left Vancouver using 1st Avenue. Up until that moment all went well. The road was clear and traffic flowing normally. As I merged onto HWY 1 i noticed that ther was significant snow cover on the roadway. As I passed Boundary and Grandview the snow cover increased until by the time I had passed Willingdon there was an amazing amount of snow on the road. A long story short, until I cam up to the Port Mann Bridge it did not appear that there was any snow clearance or sanding being done. NO Snowplow or sanding truck was seen during the 30 minutes I was on that road. After the Bridge the snow clearance remained poor if not non-existant. I decided to get off the highway at 176st and just as I was about exit I saw a snow plow as it entered East bound onto the freeway – too late for me. All main roads, 176, 32, 200 St and 16 Avenue were in good condition for the weather as the cities of Surrey and Langley had snow plows out. WHERE WAS THE SNOW CLEARANCE ON HWY 1? The condition of the main highway was the worst of any road I travelled on that night. In my opinion, the contractor for this area of the Highway needs to be held accountable for any accident that occurred and must provide better snow clearance services.
Hello Thelma,
Thank you for sharing your concern with us here. We have shared your comment with the local area office for review.
In your article regarding the new 6 lanes from 216 to 264? There was no explanation specifically, but are we to assume these lanes are west bound too? Hopefully!
Hi Penny,
Yes, it means adding a lane in each direction.
Hi there,
Yes, the project will add an additional lane in each direction, bringing the total lane number in each direction to three and the overall width of six lanes. Thanks for connecting with us here!
Please make these new lanes designated HOV / BUS lanes only. Thanks.
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your suggestion. We have sent it to the area manager to confirm if HOV/BUS lanes are included in the project.
Hello again Jim,
Your comment was reviewed by the project manager who informed us that, at this time, no decision has been made regarding future HOV designation on the project.
Hello Thelma,
We sent your concern forward to the local area office and they responded directly to you via email however, we wanted to share their response here for you just in case.
We thank you for bringing your experience to our attention. Mainroad is responsible for plowing of Hwy 1, through the Port Mann highway 1 stretch. As I am sure you are aware, during a heavy snow storm, there will always be snow on the roads. As part of our post storms de-brief with our contractor, we will be discussing the snow storm on the 9th.
Hi…the #18 Cowichan Hyw Cam mid-point between Hwy 1 Turnoff and Cowichan Lake Exit
has been down for some time (no images). All the other Hwy Cams on #18 are working fine.
Can you issue a repair order for this #18 Hwy Cam?
Thanks
George
Hi George,
Thanks for your comment. We asked the webcam guy your question and here is what he had to say. The camera hasn’t been completely ‘down’, but it has had some issues with delivering a consistent image. It’s possible that there has been some change in the local cellular network that affecting the camera transmission of images. Our electrical team have been notified are working on the issue. Hope that this helps!
I am confused regarding the rules for merging onto highways which have two lanes travelling the same direction. What is the rule/obligation for the vehicle attempting to merge into the flow of traffic? Who has the right of way, the vehicles already on the highway? Must the vehicles on the highway slow down to allow the merging vehicles to get onto the highway? Must merging traffic attain sufficient speed to enter the flow of traffic,I.e., speed up to enter the highway without forcing vehicles already on the highway? What is the rule/ definition of MERGING onto highways with speeds faster than 60 kms/he?
Hello confused merger,
Thanks for your questions.
Not all merging situations are the same, however. Entering a highway can be a bit more complicated because merging is done at higher speeds and drivers have to be more aware of surrounding vehicles. There can be a lot going on at once. We recommend breaking the process down by following these five steps for safe highway merging:
Step 1: Accelerate to match the speed of highway traffic as you travel on ramp.
Step 2: Be aware of your surroundings by checking mirrors and blind spots.
Step 3: Flick your blinker signal on to let other drivers know you plan to shift lanes.
Step 4: Speed up or slow down slightly if a vehicle is right beside you, positioning your vehicle to enter an open space.
Step 5: Merge gradually into the neighbouring lane by following the path of the merging ramp.
Bonus Step (optional): Give a friendly “thank you” wave to the driver who gave you space to help you merge safely.
Voila – now you’re cruising the highway.
See more at: http://tranbc.ca/2013/01/02/how-to-merge-safely-on-a-highway/#sthash.T90v7rwq.dpuf
Hello…I travel the Malahat often — all hours, all weather conditions. — because my daughter is in Grade 11 in Victoria but lives in Shawnigan Lake. The recent enhancements seems to assist in accident prevention, and I applaud BC Transportation for this. However, I find the Malahat most treacherous at night, primarily due to oncoming headlights on the winding stretches. Too often, drivers ride with their high beams, especially evident with taller SUVs and pickups.
Could the median barrier not also be adapted to assist with nighttime blinding from these oncoming vehicles? Anchoring vertical green ‘posts’ on top of the median could easily, cheaply, and attractively increase the center barrier height, and prevent direct headlight blindness in the curves, esp. with these new LEDs and halogens. I have seen these green posts along other stretches of Hwy 1, and assume this design has been embraced by the Ministry. I encourage Transportation to consider this or a similar modification, as we strive to improve traffic safety on an increasingly busy and challenging Malahat. Thank you.
Hi Monty,
Thanks for your comment. We have sent it forward to the local area manager for review.
I got hit by ice ball on December 05 2106 on alex fraser bridge. Is ministry of transport going to pay for my deductible and any other expenses that occured because of this cause?
Hi Dishant,
Yes, We will review each claim on a case-by-case basis to make sure that any damage occurred because of falling snow or ice from the bridge, and we will cover deductibles related to this damage. We encourage drivers who have damage to their vehicles to contact ICBC to get their claim started, and then call us at 604-424-8240 or better yet, get to our Highways Claims website here. Hope this helps.
Hello, I would like to request that the province consider adding an adjacent multi-use pathway to the proposed Hwy 1 widening project between Langley and Whatcom Rd. Between Langley and Mt Lehman it could potentially run down the median, and then run parallel to the Hwy until it reaches Whatcom Rd. Similar to the Lochside trail that runs alongside the main Hwy from Swartz Bay. It would connect communities and serve cycle tourism as well. A 2 way 3.5-4 meter paved pathway.
Hi Jim,
Thank you for your suggestion. We have shared it forward with the local area office for review.
Hello Jim,
Our area manager responded to you directly today via email but we also wanted to share the response here just in case.
Jim, I have received your concern through our automated email regarding the northern corners at the Mt Lehman & Fraser Highway Intersection.
I have forwarded on your concern and comment regarding the installation of a NO RIGHT TURN sign for the Westbound and Southbound traffic to our regional traffic engineers.
They will review the accident statistics on those corners to determine if these signs are the best approach.
It sounds like this is a compliance issue and you may want to discuss your observations with the Abbotsford Police to see if they can assist in enforcing the red signal.
If you have any further questions on this issue or any other issues regarding Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure road in the Abbotsford area please feel free to contact me directly at Les.Gilburg@gov.bc.ca or by phone at 604.795.8204.
One of my family is moving to Boston Bar. I am wondering about access to them, especially through the winter. Are there records of highway closures due to weather between Hope and Boston Bar for the last three years that will give me an idea?
Hi Gary,
Winter weather can impact travellers on any highway across the province, even in Boston Bar. That being said, the Fraser Canyon typically sees less snowfall than other routes, such as the Coquihalla, simply because it is lower in elevation. We encourage you to check DriveBC for up to the minute road condition information (and our ever popular Highway Cams). Many of our Highway Cams also have weather information supplied by Environment Canada for each location. You might be able to collect historical data on weather from them as well. Hope that this helps!
It would be good if you were able to make that highway a priority. It’s really dangerous I feel. There was actually one point where I thought the concrete barrier on the left was the left hand side of the direction I was driving on. Thank goodness I didn’t go towards it, as it was actually the shoulder-barrier for the oncoming traffic. The road alternates from dual carriageway to single.
Of course, the locals are probably familiar with the road very well, but that highway also has a lot of tourists in rented cars. Add some rain, or snow, as well as darkness and it’s a recipe for a head-on collision.
Thanks again for connecting with us here Andrew and for sharing your concern. We have shared your comment with the local area manager.
Hi,
Tonight I was driving on the Sea to Sky Highway (Hwy 99), from Whistler to Vancouver. I have to say that this road is terrible for driving at night. The lane markings are really feint in the darkness and rain (or snow). I’ve heard numerous complaints from other people about the same issue. Because of this, I feel this road is really dangerous in the parts that are unlit. Is there any way that you can improve the visibility of the paint that you use, e.g. use a more reflective paint maybe? I know that cat’s eyes are probably not an option, because of the snow plough needing a flat surface, but the lines themselves could really do with being looked at.
Generally I’ve found that the road paint that you use here in Canada is inferior compared to other countries where I’ve lived. When it rains, the lane markings tend to disappear and the road becomes shiny. In other countries (e.g. in the UK) they’ve got around this issue by using a thicker paint which is raised slightly above the road’s surface. There lane lines are always visible.
Thanks!
Thanks for connecting with us here. The safety of the travelling public is our absolute priority and we continue to look for ways to improve line markings in BC. Environment Canada regulations limiting the use of VOC alkyd (traditional) style paint came into effect September 2009 and those regulations applied to everyone in Canada, including BC. Non VOC paint is not as durable as VOC style paint and we are currently testing a number of different paint applications to find one that will withstand our varied climate and conditions.We hope that this helps answer your questions. Here’s a link to more information: http://tranbc.ca/2015/09/25/looking-for-line-painting-that-can-take-a-pounding/#sthash.SsC6Mfbv.dpuf
Is there a reason why some HOV lanes are 2+ occupancy and some are 3+. I travel from Richmond to Vancouver using Russ Baker Way everyday. My husband and I carpool but can’t use the HOV lane because there are only 2 of us. The lane is underutilized and is almost always empty.
Hello Michelle,
Jurisdictions that operate HOV lanes will place occupancy rates for vehicles using their HOV lanes to
1) control the overall vehicle volume of vehicles who would use that lane (with higher vehicle occupancy rates leading to less vehicles using the lane),
2) To encourage more ride sharing, and
3) to prevent over saturation of the lane so as to prevent grid lock, and therefore manage flows so that friction from merging is minimized when the HOV lane ends.
The Ministry of Transportation has used 3+ signs in the past on the highways that fall under our jurisdiction, however currently we use 2+ signage. Why the City of Richmond chooses to use 3+ signage on their HOV lanes such as on Russ Baker Way is best answered by the City of Richmond. Hope that this helps!
Hello, I’m curious how the Bike BC funding works, if a community that was given money doesn’t being their project in a timely manner… How long do they have before they no longer can receive that money? If it is unused, does it get added to the pool for the next year, or just get missed? Thanks
Hello Jim,
Successful BikeBC recipients have one year from the date of announcement to complete their projects, and 90-days after that to submit a claim (for eligible expenses up to the amount of the grant). The program does not dictate when municipalities must begin using the funds, just that the works must be completed within one year of the funding-announcement date.
If there is unused BikeBC money, it is redirected to other priorities in the ministry. It cannot be directed to another BikeBC project. Hope that this helps.
The reason I asked is, Abbotsford received funding for a hwy 1 bike overpass project, I believe it was 1M $, but we haven’t seen any movement towards this. I inquired with the city, and today was told they had until 2 Aug 2017 to BEGIN construction. Claimed construction would be between aug 2017 and aug 2018. Another staff member told me the city could submit a request for an extension. That doesn’t give me any confidence that they intend to move forward in a timely manner. What they told me, contradicts with what I’ve been told here.
Yes, BikeBC considers contract extensions on a case-by-case basis. There is then an internal process by which extensions are decided, and then communicated to the local government in question. If a municipality conducts works outside of the time frame spelled out in the contract without obtaining expressed permission from the ministry, then those works are ineligible for funding. That is, only eligible works undertaken up until that completion date of the contract are eligible for funding. Hope that this helps!
Hello, I wrote in the past that the province should install fencing along Hwy1 between Sumas and McCallum in Abbotsford when a pedestrian was killed on the highway. This happened again this morning. What is the threshold, how many people have to die before MoTI will take action and install a fence to prevent pedestrians from accessing the highway? This is way too common on this one stretch of highway. If the province doesn’t want to do so now, perhaps it could be part of the widening project that MoTI is working on between Langley and Whatcom Rd, and include a multiuse path along one side, as there is obviously a desire for people to use the corridor, a fence will be more effective if there is also a safe pathway. I have seen people riding their bicycles into oncoming traffic in the dark in this location. So, what’s the magic number, how many more have to die?
Hello Jim,
The ministry maintains a chain link fence in the area between McCallum Rd Interchange and Sumas Way Interchange however there are some gaps closer to Sumas Way that have been identified and we are planning to install fencing at these locations. We do have ongoing issues with people cutting the fences that we install but our maintenance contractors are vigilant and repair the cuts when they occur.
Thank you, I appreciate the expedient response. Clearly there is a desire for people to travel along this corridor, and I hope a safe, separate pathway will be considered as part of the widening project. I hope to see the gaps in the fencing closed as well. This is a very deadly portion of highway. Thank you.
Hello again, I looked the area over, it looks like the south side of the hwy, adjacent to the intersection of King Rd and Riverside should be a priority, it is right next to the homeless shelter, and a nice easy walk right onto the highway, there is nothing in the way there….
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your keen interest on this – we appreciate it! We’ve sent your comment forward to the local area manager for review.
Thanks to Minister Garneau for today’s mention of backup cameras on all new cars.
We in Canada have done ourselves a disservice on a related matter. A few years ago running/driving lights on all new vehicles was a huge improvement for safe travel. What was missed in this improvement to vehicles was the fact there are two ends to an automobile. The vehicles can be seen by oncoming traffic but if one is following a vehicle with the driving light improvement they cannot be seen by the the vehicle behind them. This would not be an issue in bright daylight but if the weather changes and or it is rainy/foggy, the following vehicles see nothing until the lead vehicle hits its brakes or puts on a turn signal. Example: today we had to travel from Abbotsford, BC to a Hospital in Coquitlam, at 7AM. Of all the cars on the road in front of us there were less than 10% with visible taillights. On the return trip the rain had gotten worse and puddles were up to 8″ deep and still no taillights. There has to be a way to turn on both frt and rear lights to stop the carnage and make it safer for drivers of all ilk. Please find a way to correct this flaw!!!!!!!!!
Hi Tod,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. We too have noticed this problem and recently produced a short video highlighting the need for drivers to turn their headlights on all the way to ensure that their headlights and taillights are active. Please feel free to share this video and spread the message! We have also connected with Transport Canada and they have confirmed that they are reviewing standard lighting requirements for the automotive industry in regards to this issue.
Hi there, I live in Maple Ridge and walk along Lougheed from the bus stop on Tamarack Lane to my home. There is no pepper sidewalk along that stretch of the road between Tamarack and Kanaka Way, which is an issue, specifically in inclement weather. Right now the storm drains need to be cleaned. Rain water gathers in ankle-deep puddles – one has to choose between walking through the water or walking along the road, which is not safe. This matter is of utmost importance for the safety of pedestrians and I was told by the city MOT is in charge of the highway.
I have pictures that I can share.
Hi Dessy,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. We have sent your comment forward directly to the local ministry office for review.
Hello,
We spoke with the area manager who informed us that our local maintenance contractor for the area cleared out the drains a couple of weeks ago, but now it appears there may be a pipe problem. The plan going forward is to cut the pipe so its shorter and then the drain can clear freely, reducing the possibility for flooding and we expect the work will be complete within the next 2 weeks. The sidewalk path you mentioned in the post is an informal path that is not maintained by the ministry or Maple Ridge. We will try to see if we can get some funding for a new sidewalk as part of the community enhancement program for Maple Ridge. If you have any other questions, or require clarification on anything, please contact Daniel.Johnson@gov.bc.ca/604-313-2525.
Hi, We are planning to go Whistler this December for Christmas time.
But all i concern is the tires.
Im driving a Sienna Van with front wheel drive.
Do i have to have winter tires to go up or M + S tires is fine?
I asked many people, some of them said must have winter tires, some of them said M + S tires works fine. Some of them said M + S with the snow symbol beside…..
Please tell me about more about the tires that the RCMP required.
Thank you
Hi Kit,
British Columbia accepts tires displaying the 3-peaked mountain and snowflake symbol OR the M+S (mud and snow) symbol, with at least 3.5 mm tread as winter tires. Some tire manufacturers choose to mark their tires with both designations. Here’s a link for more information: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving/winter-tires-and-chains/about-winter-tires Don’t forget – DriveBC, our highway traveller information system is a great resource for checking road conditions before you go: http://www.drivebc.com/
Good afternoon. I am writing to request road upgrades in Mission, BC. The highway and overpass area near the Junction Mall is heavily backed up during rush hour with merging near impossible for the left turn lane onto Lougheed Highway. This forces an overload of vehicles off the Abbotsford/Mission bridge early, to the Horne Street/Murray street area overpass. This overpass shakes with so much traffic on board and people are concerned about its safety (and not just during a seismic event!)
At the end of the weekday, our employees are not able to get out of the area safely due to these huge traffic snarls. Could you please send an engineer to review the problem and take corrective action? I have personally witnessed three incidents of road rage and the problem is only getting worse. Thank you.
Hello Lynne,
We have shared your comment forward directly with the local area manager for review. Thanks for connecting with us here!
Thank you. Please advise who will directly follow up with me and provide specific answers.
Hi Lynne,
We just shared back some information with you. Hope that this helps.
Hello Lynne,
Here’s what we heard back from the area manager: The shaking you are referring to is normal for all structures and is referred to as live load movement or live load vibration. Some movements are more obvious than others which is why there are bearings under the structures to allow for this deflection or movement. The Mission Bridge over the Fraser River has under gone about $16 million dollars’ worth of seismic upgrades over the last 4 years, and the CPR overhang adjacent to the Highway 7 at Highway 11 junction underwent extensive structural upgrades 3 years ago.
The province has announced additional upgrades to the Highway 7 at Highway 11 junction to improve efficiency and safety of movements by vehicles and pedestrian/cyclist traffic. This will include expanding existing lanes to provide additional vehicle capacity and signal operation improvements.
We hope that this helps!
Thank you for your reply. My staff and I are eager for specific timeframe details. Each day that passes brings more congestion and dangerous road conditions. Could you please elaborate as to when the province will be taking action to correct this serious road issue?
Thanks very much.
Hello again Lynne,
We have begun work reviewing safety concerns at the Highway 7 and Highway 11 junction and how best to accomplish improvements, but we cannot comment on a construction schedule at this time.
Now that the MOTI Gabriola Island bridge study is public, we can look at the details of the study and look at alternatives to find the lowest cost alternative. Two basic assumptions in the study need to be questioned, the first being the assumption that there would be no tolls on the bridge. All of Gabriola feels that this is unlikely, given the history of vehicle tolls in the Vancouver Regional District.
The second assumption was that the bridge over False Narrows should have a clearance of 23 meters in order to clear the largest barge with a crane tower. False Narrows is called False Narrows for a good reason. If you ever proceed down it in a boat, do watch out for the island that appears in the center of the channel at low tide. The Second Narrows Rail bridge has a clearance of 10.8 meters with the bridge down, which serves all the local traffic, except for deep sea tankers.
Changing these two assumptions would allow a bridge and road to be built to Nicola Road on Vancouver Island for $ 53,853,560.07 with 0% contingencies, using the same size and MOTI cost details. The reason for 0% contingencies is that everyone adds their own. MOTI uses 50%, the RDN uses 100%, so please use your own.
Benefits are harder to estimate than specific costs, but we estimate that B.C. would gain $863,305,596.58, partly from reduced ferry subsidies. Gabriola would gain $804,694,403.42, slightly less because we would be paying tolls, and increased rural taxes on increased land values. A rather good return on investment.
A detailed map is available my web site, gabriolafuturevision.org.
Thanks,
James (Randy) Young
Gabriola Island Ratepayers
Hi Randy,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We shared your comments with one of our transportation planning engineers who gave us the following information. Hope it helps!
The nature of planning studies is that they start at a high level with limited information available.Transportation studies often include forecasts of population growth, employment growth and traffic growth, usually decades into the future. In this case, the reports authors, CH2M, an engineering firm, sought the advice of the Council of Marine Carriers with respect to the minimum clearances that would likely be required in False Narrows. The Council has experience in these matters and we have utilized that experience. CH2M assumed there would be no tolls associated with a new bridge. That assumption is in line with the Ministry’s current policy of only tolling structures if there is a free alternative in place. Note that adding tolls would result in fewer trips on the bridge and reduce the benefits to local residents. It is standard practise to apply contingencies to estimates and at this early stage of planning the contingency should be significant, reflecting how many unknowns there are at this stage.
I have been enduring this distribution in my home for 64 days now . I feel there really is no excuse as to why something has not been done to repair this !!
Hi Pamela,
We spoke with the area manager who informed us that you will be meeting at the site tomorrow at 9:30 am? Hope that this helps.
I am sending this today hoping for some
type of response to my problem . The road in front of my home
has developed an upward crease across the road . With the speeding traffic(speed limit is 50 km but most vehicles are
traveling way faster that that) and heavy use of Commercial
vehicles passing over this upward crease and then slamming down
on the other side ( which causes my house to vibrate
considerably starting between 3:30-5:30 in the morn and
continuing through out the day ) . There is now a depression in
the road which is growing bigger as time goes by . I complained to the 100 Mile department of Interior Roads on Aug 26 on line
website complaint form and then by phone on Sept 1 . The matter was then referred by Interior Roads supervisor Wayne Durk to
Terry Murphy Transportation and Infrastructure 100 Mile . After several phone calls to Mr.
Murphy , office and cell phone , I finally received a call from
him on Sept 22 . a message was left on my phone (as I was out
at the time ) that he had come out and had seen the bump I was
talking about and that he would try to call the next day to
talk to me . I called his cell phone when I arrived home on
Sept 26 , it went to hi voicemail , saying that I looked forward
to his call about this matter as the vibrating of my home is
quite disturbing to me and as time was running to fix the road
with winter approaching and that I don’t want to put up with
this life disrupting situation all winter . No phone call the next day , so I called Mr.Murphy’s cell phone again on Sept27 ,
it went to voicemail once again . I left a message saying that
I had expected to hear from him about this situation , to this
day I have not heard from Mr.Murphy . These irregularities in
the road are not only causing the annoyance of my home
vibrating but I am concerned about long term damage to my home
as well . I know of at least one other neighbor having the same
complaint . I only see this problem getting much worse over the
winter , I don’t understand why nothing is being done to repair
these irregularities .
Pamela Lang
4521 Canim-Hendrix Lake Road
Forest Grove BC
Email horsefeathers851@hotmail.com
>
Hi Pamela,
Thank you for connecting with us and sharing your concerns. We followed up with Terry Murphy, who confirmed he is aware of the issue and will be following up with you no later than Friday afternoon. Hope that this helps!
Am I to assume that means next Friday as I did not hear from Mr. Murphy today ?
There is a section of highway approximately 5/10 km north of Spences Bridge where there is a passing lane. I would like to see “VEHICLES TURNING LEFT” warning signs in this area. There are three (3) roads where approximately 7 to 10 families have to make that left turn off the highway from the passing lane, one of which is at the very end of the passing lane and is a blind spot from traffic behind. This makes it quite dangerous when you have to wait for traffic in the opposite lane.
I hope this makes sense to you and I hope you will consider this request.
Thank you.
Hi Judy,
Thanks for connecting with us and sharing your feedback. We are sending your comment to the local area office for review.
Carpool lanes on HWY 1 – are there any plans to ever patrol these? Perhaps I should be directing my question to the RCMP but thought I would start here. I travel from Maple Ridge to Vancouver every day with two other carpool buddies. This fall, the traffic seems to have exploded in volume (it seems it’s the same everywhere, not just from my area) and the carpool lane is now being used as “just another lane”. It’s been years since I’ve seen anyone actively patrol the carpool lane from the Port Mann Bridge into Vancouver in the mornings and as a result, we’ve noticed that there’s been a huge increase in single occupancy vehicles in this lane, especially with the increased traffic. As a result, there is now no benefit to driving in the carpool lane (as least as far as traffic flow goes). Can you let me know who we’d need to petition in order to get this lane patrolled on a regular basis so that it at least meets the function it was originally designed for? Otherwise, you may as well just eliminate it, as currently there is no benefit to being in this lane.
Hi Kathy,
The BC RCMP is responsible for enforcing the signage on BC highways and we encourage you to connect directly with them about your concern. We will also share your comment with our traffic engineers for review. Hope that this helps and thank you for connecting with us here.
Hello,
I am wondering if you could please provide me with information concerning the posted speed limit for HWY-1 near Lytton and Revelstoke. Was there a change in transitioning speed limit zones recently, if so could you please provide me with updated zones location?
I am looking forward to your reply.
Hi Goran,
We have sent your comment forward to the local area manager for review. Stay tuned.
Hello,
Did you happen to receive any updates for my initial query?
Hello Goran,
Our apologies! We do have a response for you and we hope it helps answer your question.
There are two changes that have taken place on TCH near Revelstoke
1. 90 km/hr speed zone was upgraded to 100 km/hr as part of the provincial speed zone review. That was 2 years ago I believe – September 2014 if I recall correctly.
2. Variable Speed Zone from Perry River to Revelstoke. Went into effect late spring for traffic speed, volume and incidents. The weather / road condition module is in effect now.
Thanks for following up with us!
What is the maximum stay limit in a BC rest area? I have searched your website repeatedly and cannot find such basic information as that.
You are free to use any BC Rest Area to catch zzzz’s while you are travelling, but we try to discourage motorists from using rest areas for more than four hours at a time. Rest areas can be dark, secluded and remote which lead to safety concerns regarding those camping overnight. BC Parks have many campsites available to travellers day or night and we encourage you to camp overnight there. Hope this helps.
Hello again,
I must admit I am still confused about your rest area stay limit policy. By the way, your website’s FAQ for rest areas link is broken. You told Paul Ustick on August 2, 2016 at 4:48PM that you “ask” travelers to limit their stay to 8 hours but you told me on October 11, 2016 at 1:39 PM that you “discourage” stays of more than 4 hours. I don’t mean to be argumentative but I am hoping for a concrete answer so I don’t run afoul of the law in a foreign country. What is the law? Are there signs posted? Are some rest area limits different than others? I am very concerned as my wife and I will be traveling to Alaska in early April when all the RV campgrounds are closed. As a last resort we are looking at rest areas to get a night’s sleep. Thank you.
Hi Don,
Sorry for the confusion. There are no hard or fast rules regarding how camping overnight is treated in rest areas. Not all rest areas have “no camping” signs posted. Often they are posted when it’s found longer-term camping is becoming a problem at a particular rest area. Rest areas can be dark and secluded so there are concerns regarding safety of those who camp overnight, which is why we try to encourage people to keep their stay short. Overall, in terms of overnight stays, rest areas were originally envisioned for motorists who are too tired to continue driving and need to pull over somewhere to rest for a few hours, but those who have a real need to rest would not be turned away. Hope that this helps.
It helps a great deal. Thank you very much.
Glad to hear it.
On Highway 95A from Cranbrook to Kimberly you cross the St. Mary’s River Bridge. The speed limit on the bridge is posted at 100 km. This seem extremely dangerous, especially in winter conditions and the bridge curves. It will only be a matter of time before lives will be lost. Can this be reviewed, and hopefully changed. I know several residents are concerned about safety.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We have sent your comment to the local area manager for review.
Any plans to reconsider doing away with the HOV on Barnet Highway? The HOV is under utilized while creating unnecessary traffic jams on the one and only non HOV lane. It is taking three times as long to reach the end of Barnet with two, three, four or more times vehicles idling along the non HOV lane than on the HOV lane.
Hello and thank you for connecting with us here. We have shared your comment forward with the local district office for review.
Hello again,
We spoke with the district office and they informed us that the Barnet Highway is under the jurisdiction of the cities of Port Moody and Burnaby. Please contact city representatives regarding your request to remove the HOV designation and convert these lanes to permit general purpose use. Hope that this helps.
Hwy 1 westbound off-ramp to McCallum Rd in Abbotsford, is 2 lanes when it approaches the round-a-bout. The right lane is right turn only to northbound McCallum. The left lane, according to the pavement markings can be used to go straight and back onto the hwy? or left to go south on McCallum. However the overhead green sign for the left lane indicates that the left lane can go left, straight, or right. Are right turns allowed from this left lane, why do the pavement markings and information sign disagree? Thanks
Hi Jim,
We have sent your question forward to the local area manager for review.
Hi again Jim,
We spoke with our local road area manager and he informed us that they were aware of the sign issue and have requested an overlay to cover the arrow to the right. He followed up with the contractor to make sure this work is completed sooner rather than later. Hope that this helps.
Thanks for the information and investigating this. Have a nice long weekend.
What are your laws for flat towing a vehicle behind a motorhome. Do you (BC) require the vehicle to have air brakes? If its a small SUV we don’t think it needs it, but a bigger truck or trailer we do.
Hi Rose,
We have sent your question forward to the CVSE. Stay tuned!
Hello again Rose,
The folks at the CVSE have sent us a handy info sheet which we will be sending to you via email shortly. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Hello again, is the MoTI or City of Abbotsford responsible for the intersection of Cole Rd and South Parallel? I believe as Cole Rd is an on-ramp from a rest area that it is likely MoTI? I would like to request a stop sign be installed on Cole Rd at that intersection. Currently only South Parallel traffic (both directions) has stop signs. When a truck is travelling east on South Parallel (it is a truck route), and arrives at this intersection, due to the angle at which South Parallel intersects Cole Rd it is impossible to see if any vehicles are approaching from the south on Cole Rd. This is very hazardous, making it a 3 way stop would greatly reduce the danger. Thanks.
Hi Jim,
We have sent your request forward to the local area office for review.
Hi Jim,
Thank you for your observations and concerns about this intersection in Abbotsford. The ministry staff will review your request for a three-way stop at the Cole Rd Intersection.
As an automotive enthusiast I have watched the automotive industry and government grapple with the issues of climate change. While both industry and government have begun work on commendable approaches to the issue it seems that consumers are overwhelmed with information by different products available, new technologies, and variety of government strategies. I am considering shifting my consulting business to address this cleshayed but real “overload of information” to address this issue. What I would like to know is which avenues on the government side of the issue you think would be most effective to follow up with.
Thank you for your time, Paul
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your interest in climate change. I found two provincial government websites, which have a plethora of information, that you may find useful. See: http://climate.gov.bc.ca/ and http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change/policy-legislation-programs/adaptation
East bound east end of the Port Mann bridge has a “truck only” exit, Fawcett road. I don’t see this exit being used much. Why can’t this be opened to regular vehicle traffic? By opening it up to non-trucks would allow us to get access to the businesses on United blvd without having to go down Lougheed to near Ikea and have to make a left hand turn.
Allowing others to use this exit will shorten trips, and make driving more convenient.
Thanks Trevor, for your suggestion about opening up the exit onto Fawcett Road to all traffic. I have forwarded it to the Lower Mainland District and will reply back to you here.
Hi Trevor,
Thanks for your comment and our apologies in the delay of our response. We spoke with the local area manager about your concern and they replied that positive traffic changes came into effect August 3 at the Fawcett Road off-ramp from Highway 1 in Coquitlam, allowing general traffic to directly access onto United Boulevard from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am on weekdays, and all day on weekends. Unfortunately this change could not be accommodated during peak times as traffic backups would result, impacting high speed traffic on the lanes exiting from the Port Mann Bridge. We hope that this helps. Thanks again for connecting with us here.
Hello, I am wondering about how to interact with traffic signals while on a bicycle. In Abbotsford the majority of intersections have visual queues to where the induction loops are buried under the pavement (tar covered lines), and it is easy to properly position a bike to interact. There are two however I have found that are not as easy to use. One of them I believe falls under MoTI jurisdiction so hopefully you can answer. The location in question is the Valley Rd traffic signal at Hwy 11. When attempting to turn left onto hwy 11 from Valley Rd, there is no visual markings on the road surface, it is smooth with no cuts or tarred lines. Does this location use the same sensor but it was installed prior to paving, or is it using some other method to detect vehicles? I have no idea where to park my bike to interact with that signal so I treat it like a malfunction signal, and stop and proceed when it’s safe to do so. Thanks.
Hi Jim,
We are looking into this for you. Stay tuned.
Hi Jim,
Our vehicle loops will pick up bicycles as long as they are not the carbon fibre bikes. We have sent you an email with more information.
Hope it helps!
Thanks, I got the email. I understand the loops generally will detect bicycles, but with no lines on the pavement it’s hard to know where to stop. In the email response they provided me with a general idea where to expect the loops to be buried. Generally on the cities roads, the loops are easy to find due to the tar strips covering where the asphalt was cut to install them, but as mentioned the one at Valley Rd / Hwy 11 does not have these. I don’t know if it would be possible to have it installed, but these type of markings are very helpful in these types of situations so that people on bikes know where to stop: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009/part9/fig9c_07_longdesc.htm
Thanks Jim,
We have shared this forward with our Electrical Manager for review.
Thanks, I spoke with Dave Holloway, he was very helpful. I went and checked the location out again tonight, and I’ll call him back tomorrow with further details.
Good to hear Jim, thanks!
Hi, my husband and I will be travelling by car to kamloops on October. We’re both aware that winter tires are required to travel on that month. Most of our friends are telling us that ALL SEASON tires are allowed and we don’t need to purchase winter/snow tires. Is that true? Because we have newly purchased all season tires and we don’t want to spend for winter tires just for short period of stay at Kamloops. I would really appreciate your response/ help regarding this inquiry. Thanks!!
Hi Kristel,
If your all season tires have the M+S (Mud+Snow) logo on them and a minimum 3.5 mm tread depth, you won’t need to buy winter tires. Here’s a link to our winter driving website for more information: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving/winter-tires-and-chains/about-winter-tires
Hope that this helps!
Thank you! We just checked our tires and they do have that MS logo. Thanks again, problem solved!
Hurray! Happy trails and don’t forget to check DriveBC 🙂
Dear TRANBC, please help with the drive on the right and pass on the left law. To the average miserable commuter this seems counter intuitive. It appears as though we are reducing an already congested two lane hwy into a super congested one lane hwy. If you can help with comprehension, it might result in better compliance. At least from me.
Hi Rian,
Thanks for connecting with us here. The Keep Right rule is only in effect when the speed of traffic is above 60 km/hr. If the speed of traffic drops below that threshold (as occurs during rush hours) the rule is no longer in effect. This allows traffic to fill both lanes. However, once traffic speed resumes and moves above the 60 km/hr mark, traffic is required to keep right unless they are passing slower moving vehicles or preparing for a left turn. Here is a link to our Keep Right FAQ page. https://www2.qa.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/road-safety-rules-and-consequences/keep-right/keep-right-faqs
Hope that this helps!
We’ve just moved to Cliffside Road in Shawnigan Lake (CVRD electoral district) and would like to know what the plan is to pave this road. It’s in rough condition, and due to a blind corner there is an increased potential for an accident.
Thanks for your attention to this,
Jason
Hi Jason,
Please connect directly with the CVRD for more information on this. Our focus is specifically on numbered highways and secondary roads (such as Shawnigan Lake Road) across the province. Here is the contact info for the CVRD:http://www.cvrd.bc.ca/
Westbound on South Parallel Rd is at a standstill, backing up between No. 3 Rd and Whatcom Rd (Abbotsford).
There needs to be some improvements made for vehicles that want to continue west along South Parallel instead of getting onto Whatcom Rd.
Vehicles are continuously making u-turns to get out of the massive lineup that forms along South Parallel.
We’ve been sitting in the lineup over 20 minutes now and we’re maybe halfway to the intersection.
Unacceptable.
P.S. This is the second time (and now last time) we have encountered this disastrous flow along this stretch.
Hi there,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. We have sent your comment forward to the local area manager for review.
Hi Disgruntled Driver,
We spoke with the local area manager about your concern and he informed us that the Whatcom Road interchange is presently being reviewed as part of the Highway #1 widening plan, announced as part of the 10 year ”BC On The Move” plan. Here’s a link to more info: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/transportationplan/
Thanks again for connecting with us and if you have any other questions, just let us know.
I have just noticed that the web cam for the summit of the Connector has been removed from the web site. We live in Aspen Grove and use this route often and find that particular web cam the most informative for making a decision on whether to travel or not. I REALLY hope you are going to put it back on!!!!!
Hi Linda,
Thankfully it was just a glitch. Work has been done on the camera and it’s back working. Sorry for the delay.
I live in Kamloops and over the years I have seen a consistent pattern of accidents with vehicles slamming into each other as they make their way from Valleyview west up through Peterson Creek bridge before entering the Coq. Part of the issue is that truckers attempt to overtake each other and are unable to and slow traffic down to half the speed limit and get stuck side by side. This puts huge pressure on the light vehicles behind and influences aggressive driving behavior. It seems absurd to me that there is no signage in place to keep truckers in the slow lane. This should be the law as they are unable to reach an appropriate speed. There have been numerous rear end collisions that cost us money with increased insurance rates. I have seen multiple cars piled into the back of each other over and over again and wonder when someone will push for change.
Please let me know what I can do to make this change get started before more people are seriously injured or killed commuting through a straight stretch of road that should not be having this issue.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your comment. We have shared it with the local area manager for review.
Hi Mike,
Through our Rural Speed and Safety Review consultation, we heard across the province a general concern for slow moving vehicles in the left hand lane. There is new legislation to support the enforcement of left lane hogs, and we have installed “Keep Right Except to Pass” signs on Hwy 1 in Kamloops, including the location on the bypass you mentioned. Our local CVSE patrol this location, and when they encounter commercial trucks in contravention, they are ticketing under this new legislation. Hope that this helps!
As the city of Abbotsford and the BC Ministry of Transportation &
Infrastructure move forward on the Mt. Lehman road project, the design
of the bicycle facilities should ensure that transportation by bicycle
will be a safe and enjoyable choice for people of all ages and
abilities. This is consistent with the vision laid out in Part III
section 3 of Abbotsford’s new Official Community Plan. For this reason
protected bicycle lanes should be chosen rather than painted bike
lanes.
UBC’s Cycling in Cities study shows that a bike path separated by a
barrier (protected bike lane / cycle track) next to a major street
attracts more riders and is preferred over painted bike lanes. With
the choice of protected bicycle facilities the city and ministry will
be enabling more people, including families, to enjoy the corridor by
bike. Biking along the Mt. Lehman corridor would be a safe and
delightful choice when people attend events at the TradeX and access
the airport terminal.
The city has recently chosen to install a two way protected bike lane
on Salton Road in the U-District. Salton is a quite neighbourhood
street with a low volume of traffic that travels at a lower speed. Mt.
Lehman on the other hand is a busy truck route, with a higher volume
of traffic, travelling at higher speeds. Mt. Lehman will also
potentially one day be a transit corridor. With the volume and speed
in mind, painted bike lanes on Mt. Lehman will not provide the safety
or perceived level of safety required to encourage more people to ride
bikes. Additional challenges will be posed by painted bike lanes.
Painted bike lanes will be subject to illegal parking, forcing people
on bikes into traffic, especially during popular TradeX events.
Painted bike lanes will also be prone to intrusion by driver lane
departures, similar to Fraser Hwy where this is a frequent occurrence.
In the case that adequate space is not available to install one way
protected bike lanes on both sides of the road, a two way protected
bike lane could instead be chosen. A two way protected bicycle lane,
including buffer, can be installed in the same amount of space as two
painted bike lanes. Mt. Lehman road is ideal for a two way protected
bike lane as it is a long corridor with a low number of intersections.
Two way protected bike lanes have been used in many places throughout
Europe and North America, including Montreal and Vancouver, and
proposed for Salton Road here in Abbotsford. Adequate space is
available at the intersection with Marshall Rd to divert the two way
protected bike lane away from the round-a-bout that will be installed.
Please enable people of all ages and abilities to choose riding a bike
to YXX along this corridor by designing delightful and safe protected
bicycle facilities. The city and ministry can make this work on Mt.
Lehman. Thank you.
Hi Jim,
As mentioned on Twitter, I’ve shared these comments and your tweets with our local district office.
Great, thanks 🙂
Hello, I would like to request a few minor improvements to a bike lane in Abbotsford where you’ve recently created an unsafe conflict zone. The McCallum interchange, north side, northbound. The bike lane re-enters the roadway just north of the round-a-bout. Due to a new strip mall (Cabelas development) MoTI had a right turn slip lane installed into the mall. The right turn slip lane starts right where the bikes are re-entering the roadway. This feels very unsafe while riding there, and I feel a few small improvements would increase safety. 1: A right turn yield to bikes sign, 2: Green surface to draw attention to the conflict zone (green anti-slip paint or thermoplastic), 3: Repaint the bicycle lane stencil that was half paved over (after applying the green surface treatment). Thanks very much. Pictures can be seen on twitter here: twitter.com/itsjim84/status/770017065344393216
After a lapse from driving for about 17 years, I’ve recently been doing some winter driving on our BC highways. I’m wondering why the green/white road signs are so hard to read after they’ve been snowed on from behind. Or fogged up, and made hard to read.
Hi Ger,
Thanks for connecting with us here. Today’s signs use retroreflective sheeting to provide excellent night time visibility. Moisture or dew condensation on the surface of a sign will affect the retroreflective performance. Frost and dew will reflect the light and bend it so that significantly less light will return to the driver. Signs 17 years ago did not use the retroreflective sheeting we have today and therefore may have looked more consistent, not necessarily brighter, during these conditions. Hope that this helps!
This is a concern over the lights on Highway 17 at Elk Lake Dr/ Haliburton Rd. This is Google Maps link https://www.google.ca/maps/@48.5142628,-123.384355,19.56z?hl=en
I travel through those lights at 3-4am and have noticed since the new pavement is down that the lights change to red signals for the highway when there are no vehicles waiting at the cross traffic lines. I travel through there 3 times for work between 3 and 4:30 am and every day as I approach the light starts to change and doesn’t change back until there is someone stopped on the line either north or south on the highway.
Today on my way home at noon hour North bound traffic was backed up quite a bit and after getting through to that light I could not see any problem causing the back up and it made me think that maybe the light is causing problems all day long.
As I mentioned it wasn’t until after the recent repaving that this light started acting this way. As a commercial driver being able to maintain momentum helps with fuel economy and every little bit helps.
Thanks for reading this and I hope this makes it’s way to the right people to fix this issue.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for connecting with us and letting us know of your concern. We have sent your comment forward to our traffic engineers for review. Stay tuned.
My vehicle is a front 2-WD sedan. If I equip it with chains on all 4 wheels is it sufficient for winter driving or should I upgrade to a 4×4 vehicle. As a visitor,during this summer, I found some passes and crossings on some of the routes pretty daunting.I imagine it’s worse during avalanche season?
Hello Paul,
Thanks for connecting with us here.
Winter tires or tires with the M+S logo are required on most BC Highways during the winter. Carrying chains for extra traction is also recommended. Here is a link to our Winter Tires and Chains page which has more information on winter travel tips, requirements, chaining up, driving to conditions and maps of provincial highways which require winter tires for travel between October 1 and March 31.
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving/winter-tires-and-chains
Look on the left sidebar of this page for other important links, and if you have any other questions, let us know. Safe travels!
I’m interested to know if there has been any study done for Comox Road in Courtenay B.C. that shows the impact of, How does the impervious surface affect water Resources? Affect Aquatic Habitat and Loss of Biological Diversity for the Comox Estuary.
I have noticed in the last 10 years the traffic on this streach of road from Comox to Courtenay has increased 10 folds.
Since we get very high volume of rain in the winter months, what is happening to our Estuary and its habitat with the road water runoff.
Hi Veera,
Great question! We have sent it forward to the local area manager for review and response. Stay tuned.
Hello again Veera,
We spoke with the local area manager about your question and here is their response:
We are not aware of any studies done focussing specifically on Comox Road however, there is likely information available that, given the surface area, traffic count of a particular road, amounts of runoff, and makeup of that runoff, could be calculated.
Two points come to mind when considering Comox Road.
1. The portion within ministry jurisdiction generally has generous gravel shoulders outside of the paved surfaces on both sides so runoff is contained, held and slowly released, rather than being collected and directed through drains or other infrastructure, directly into the estuary.
2. The second point for consideration is, if this road was gravel, instead of paved, the sediment created by traffic and the ongoing maintenance would likely far exceed the impact from runoff from the paved surface presently in place.
Comox Road requires careful management by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Public demand for improvements such as widening and lighting in response to increased traffic and use can negatively impact the estuary as well. Each of these requests have to be balanced considering safety and environmental impact.
Kevin Carter would be happy to answer any other questions you might have. You can reach him at 250-334-6954 or via email (Kevin.Carter@gov.bc.ca) if you have any further questions or concerns.
We hope that this helps!
Thank you, kindly. It is good to hear that careful consideration is given to this delicate road for any increase in traffic and road widening.
Sunday, Aug 14th – I was westbound on the TC #1 from Abbotsford heading into Vancouver – when I encountered and got caught in a massive cluster of traffic snarl, about 10 kms bumper to bumperinching along for about an hour and a half – then detoured off an exit at ~ Fort Langley and turned loose onto roads in Surrey etc. – with no further detour guidance thousand of other vehicle trucks, horse trailers etc. – A MASSIVE CLUSTER (- XXXX) of a mess – an no notice or warning before or after – – it was clear the entire TC – all lanes were closed down – empty – and no one working there – nothing !
What the heck were you/they (who ?) doing there ? –
And I wish to protest at this inept and senseless exercise in futility – it caused massive delays, frustration – and danger ! – And no one knew – and I still don’t what this was all about ???? !!!!!!
If this was construction related- or an accident – surely not the entire highway had to be closed/detoured – it reflects a callous and stupid approach to traffic management.
Chris Zeiss
Edmonton, Alberta
Hi Chris,
We are sorry to hear about your recent experience. We have sent your comment forward to the local area office for review and follow up.
Hi again Chris,
The safe and efficient movement of goods and people is our highest priority and we take this responsibility very seriously. We understand that any increase in travel time is frustrating for motorists. Highway 1 westbound, west of 232 St, was closed for several hours on Sunday Aug.14th due to a serious motor vehicle incident. Owing to the severity of the incident, this time was required for RCMP and ICARS (Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service) to perform their necessary investigation. During any highway incident every effort is made to reopen the highway fully or partially as soon as site conditions allow. The ministry provides current information on road conditions, incidents, and events via multiple sources, such as DriveBC, roadside digital message boards and social media. We hope that this helps answer your question. Here is a blog with more information about highway closures: http://tranbc.ca/2015/10/19/crashes-and-highway-closures-why-the-delay/#sthash.xg0L17NJ.dpbs
I have been distracted twice recently by the night time electronic billboard on Highway 1, travelling south, just before the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge. The first time it happened, about a week ago, I was totally caught off guard and it was very distracting to the point of where I was looking right towards a sudden and unexpected bright light for a few seconds, and not at all concentrating on my driving. When an ad is almost in pure white, and it follows after another ad that was darker, the effect is like someone honking their car horn suddenly right beside you. White ads are much too bright on that billboard.
I remember, prior to installation of the billboard, that the owners claimed it would not distracting to drivers, but in my recent experience this is no longer the case. Can this be toned down?
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. We have sent your comment forward to the area manager for review and follow up.
Hi Wayne,
Further to our last message, we have heard back from the area manager who informed us that the electronic billboard is located on First Nations land which means that the ministry does not hold jurisdiction over the billboard. We suggest that you contact the Squamish Nation to share your concerns about the brightness of the billboard. Hope that this helps. Thanks again for connecting with us here.
How does one arrange for a hidden driveway sign on a road that cars and motorcycles often are way above the recommended reduced speed of 20 km/hr. in this curvy part of a road. Can a 20 km/hr yellow sign be enforced?
Hi Gail,
Your best point of contact to start this conversation would be your local district office. If you could let us know where you are, we can share the contact info with you.
Some of the massive congestion at the Leigh Rd. interchange in Langford, is directly caused by northbound drivers from the on-ramp merging – and attempting to merge – well before they actually should in periods of high volume. These actions are reducing the carrying capacity of the merge lane by 50% or more, and forcing NB drivers already on the hwy. to slow even more, or stop. This reduction in carrying capacity is compounding back-ups for drivers coming from both Leigh Rd. and off Bear Mtn. The simple addition of a line of collapsable plylons would force drivers further down the merge lane and would greatly assist in moving traffic in this difficult area. I look forward to the completetion of the upgrades already underway in the area.
Hi Jay,
Thanks for your comment. We have shared it with the project manager for review.
Hello, With reference to the Leigh rd issue. I think the collapsible barrier would help but the real issue is that the merge should be a mandatory one for one. Leave a space. As the speed slows to a crawl and people close in on each other. There is no space left to merge into. The temporary road sign in not helping and should indicate. Merge, One For One, Leave a Space. People may understand this better than what is currently displayed. Use end of lane. They are not opening the gap to allow other cars to merge because they think everyone will get in front of them and traffic slows to a crawl or worse.
“Some of the massive congestion at the Leigh Rd. interchange in Langford, is directly caused by northbound drivers from the on-ramp merging – and attempting to merge – well before they actually should in periods of high volume. These actions are reducing the carrying capacity of the merge lane by 50% or more, and forcing NB drivers already on the hwy. to slow even more, or stop. This reduction in carrying capacity is compounding back-ups for drivers coming from both Leigh Rd. and off Bear Mtn. The simple addition of a line of collapsable plylons would force drivers further down the merge lane and would greatly assist in moving traffic in this difficult area. I look forward to the completetion of the upgrades already underway in the area.”
This past Aug. 1 holiday Monday the traffic was stopped from Britania Beach to Squamish headed South. The massive traffic congestion was not caused by an accident but by a traffic light at Britania Beach. I suggest adjusting this light.
Thanks Allan for letting us know of your concern about the light at Britannia Beach, on Highway 99. I will share that with our traffic management people in that area.
Are you allowed to sleep over in your vehicle at rest areas?
Hi Paul,
We ask that you limit your stay in rest areas to eight hours, and not overnight at rest areas. Thanks for asking.
Why is the #1 hwy from 200 St to Hope
or at least Abbottsford not being mentioned
is in DESPERATE need of additional lanes
both ways.
Hi Robert,
Thanks for sharing your concerns about Hwy 1 between 200 St and Abbotsford/Hope.
The ministry recognizes the importance of this segment of Highway 1 for daily commuters and commercial goods movement. We are currently in the planning stage for the future expansion of the Highway 1 corridor from Surrey to Abbotsford and expect to finish the planning work in the Fall of 2016. This expansion is a stated goal in our BC on the Move transportation plan.
I wonder why the Upper Arrow Lake Ferry schedule has departure times listed as 12 PM and 12 AM. There are no such times. (Check out the meanings of the designations AM and PM to satisfy yourself on this point.) 12 PM should be 12 noon and 12 AM should be 12 midnight. Of course, you need not include the number 12 before noon and midnight. That, at least, may be a matter of choice. But there is no choice when it comes to 12 AM and 12 PM. They are both wrong. You might resolve the problem by listing the sailing times as 11:59 AM and 11:59 PM but that is a coward’s way out when noon and midnight are waiting for you to use. This problem might never have arisen had it not been for digital clocks. Their manufacturers didn’t want to go to the expense of adding and managing two extra designations, so generations of humans have grown up thinking that 12 AM and 12PM are accurate descriptions of time. But they aren’t.
Thanks for sharing your perspective on time-keeping, Garry. As Wikipedia states (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12-hour_clock): “From the Latin words meridies (midday), ante (before) and post (after), the term ante meridiem (a.m.) means before midday and post meridiem (p.m.) means after midday.” We acknowledge as noted in Wikipedia (link above) that, “Since strictly speaking ‘noon’ (midday – meridies (m.)) is neither before nor after itself,” the terms a.m. and p.m. do not work in the literal sense, when used with 12.
I note that the Big Bar ferry uses 7 am – noon, the Francois Lake Ferry uses 12:01 pm, the Little Fort Reaction Ferry is 7 am – noon, Mclure is 7 am – noon, and the Upper Arrow Lake Ferry is 5 am – midnight. I do see that the detailed schedule for the Upper Arrow Lake Ferry uses both 12:00 pm and 12:00 pm. Given their sequential location in the schedule (http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/passenger-travel/water-travel/inland-ferries/upper-arrow-lake-ferry/upper-arrow-lake-ferry-schedule), I do not believe that any confusion will arise as to whether those times are noon or midnight, as can happen for people sometimes when using 12 pm and 12 am.
I have heard and seen all the press regarding upgrades and added extras on the Coquihalla Hwy. I have noticed the new outhouses and picnic table where the highway 97D crosses the Coq. Looks nice and perhaps the tractor trailers will stop parking on the off ramp southbound to highway 97D and use the pullout instead. My question has more to do with the Coquihalla itself from 97D northbound. For some reason the shoulder markers that appear on the southbound side of the Coq approx every 10 to 15 meters, and the northbound side up to the 97D overpass, are missing on the northbound side of the highway between 97D and Kamloops. As well, the concrete barrier markers on that stretch of highway are missing or have badly damaged reflectors that sit on the top. Most are missing, some just don’t work. As this stretch sees heavier traffic due to workers coming and going from Highland Valley copper mine I was wonder why there have been no markers installed as this stretch can be quite treacherous in the dark and what are the plans, if any to finish putting the markers in? I drive that same stretch nightly and one of the worst sections is from the Inks Lake brake check where the highway drops considerably and curves just as trucks are merging back on the highway. I am also aware there is a Walloper highway cam which is not much use when there is no light to show the highway conditions in the dark especially in the winter. I would suggest that a highway cam could be installed at the brake check as the area is lit and one might have a better sense of conditions. Considering this area appears to have a higher elevation than the summit and quickly changing and extreme weather conditions that have resulted in multiple accidents, I am hoping more can be done to improve this stretch of highway for motorists.
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for your comments about the recent improvements to the Coquihalla Highway and your concerns about road markers on Hwy 97D. I am forwarding them to our staff responsible for that stretch of highway.
Hi again Deborah. I have some information for you.
Our maintenance contractor was out last week replacing and installing missing guardrail delineators on the Coquihalla. They’re continuing to replace/install this week, and our operations manager has asked them to target the location you identified.
As for the highway camera, we’ll look into potential options for improving coverage in that area.
Thanks for sharing your concerns with us. Your feedback helps us improve highway safety.
Hwy97a at Harding Road, Armstrong,BC needs another solution for turning. It should be just like the Hwy97a at Eagle Rock Road in Armstrong. Way to many accidents and close calls for the area, with the Tim Horton’s and the new buildings going up there. This would be the easiest solution, and probably the cheapest.
Thanks Carol for your comments about Hwy 97A in Armstrong. I will forward your suggestion to our staff who are responsible for that area.
Hi Carol,
I’ve passed along your feedback and suggestion to the district and our engineering group. Thank you for this. If you’re interested to discuss further locally, please feel free to contact the Okanagan district office in Kelowna. Phone: 250 712-3660.
On Hwy 1 westbound in Abbotsford, just west of the Peardonville overpass, the highway runs directly adjacent to Livingstone Ave. Livingstone avenue is very slightly lower than the hwy grade. Riding my bike along Livingstone it seemed hazardous that any vehicle running off of the road on the highway would come through the chainlink fence and directly into the bicycle lane and oncoming traffic. It is a very short distance before Livingstone turns and moves away, but for this distance, it would be great if the province could install some barricades along the edge of the highway to prevent vehicles from crashing into people on bikes or oncoming cars. Concrete barricades, cable barriers, or the steel barricades, I’m sure one of these could potentially be installed? Please consider. Thank you.
Hi Jim. Thanks for your concern for safety. I’ve passed your suggestion on to the local district office.
Who installs and maintains “Wine Route” signs? On a recent trip to Vancouver Island I attempted to visit Chase & Warren Estate Wines, which seems to have closed without any warning. Their website is still up but their phone is disconnected, and a sign on the door at the farm says “Winery Closed”.
When we visited another nearby winery, Emerald Coast, they commented that other travelers had had the same experience. Unfortunately no one can make Chase & Warren update their website, but someone should take down the Wine Route signs.
Hi Travis,
Thanks for letting us know. We will share this information with the district office, who are in charge of wine route signage for the area.
Hi. Later this year my wife, 1 year old daughter and I will be travelling from Scotland through BC. Whilst we completely understand the importance of having our daughter appropriately restrained in a vehicle for safety reasons, we are trying to explore the practicalities (and make appropriate plans where required) for the provision of a car seat should it be a requirement. Are there any circumstances or exemptions from our daughter being required to travel in a car safety seat in any of the following: hire car, hire campervan/motorhome, bus, motorcoach, taxi, train, tundra buggy or any other form of public transport? Thanks.
Hello Mike,
Thanks for connecting with us here. Car seats are required for children under the age of 9 travelling in all motorized vehicles in British Columbia. Basically, if a vehicle has a seat belt, you are required to use a car seat. If you are renting a car here, you can request an age appropriate seat from the rental agency or supply your own. Car seats are not required on trains or public transit in B.C., but we do require that children are securely fastened in their stroller or buggy during this type of transit whenever possible. I hope that this helps!
We have an issue regarding transportation ans have addressed it with those involved: TransLink and Kwantlen; as well our local newspaper and MLA. No one is really doing anything.
I am writing to tell you of an incident that has occurred to my husband which will impact him attending a program that he has been wanting to take for years now. The issue is in regards to the TransLink Multipass and we have already addressed it with the upass department at KPU and put in a complaint with TransLink. KPU Upass department refuses to cooperate.
My husband’s situation is outlined below as written in a complaint to TransLink:
I have a serious problem that needs immediate attention. I am scheduled to attend a trades program at the Cloverdale KPU campus, which is 1.3km from my home. I intend to walk or cycle to the campus. Kwantlen has a contract with TransLink that makes it mandatory for all eligible students to pay $50/month for a multipass. They do allow for exemptions with 6 specific reasons. Since I do not require a multipass, I would like to be exempted from paying for the multipass. KPU will not allow me to apply for an exemption because living close enough to walk or cycle to campus is not one of their exempt reasons. This impacts my decision to proceed with this program because TransLink contract forces me to pay for something that I will not need or even be able to use! The cost to me is $400 for this pass. Regardless of the fact that I am not even on a bus route, I still intend to walk. This compulsory pass penalizes students who choose to walk/cycle. I have already contacted the University in the department that handles the multipass and exemptions. They refuse to cooperate on the basis of the fact that their contract terms with TransLink require the university to force me to pay. The problem is now with TransLink. I am unwilling to pay based on the principle and therefore I will not take this welding program because of it. This impacts my career. Please contact me to discuss further. this is rather urgent as I am required to pay $2700 in partial fees to KPU by August 2.
We really would like someone to contact us because even if my husband drops this course on his principle, I plan to fight this for future students who also live geographically close enough to walk or cycle. Choosing the Green option should be encouraged!!
Hi Bernadette. We’ve sent your request to our Transit Branch for review.
Hi again Bernadette. Here is what our Transit Branch had to say:
The U-Pass BC Program was established in 2010 after TransLink had announced a freeze on any expansion of the Van City UPass that was offered, at different rates and conditions, to only four of the 11 public Post-Secondary Institutions (PSIs) in Metro Vancouver. In addition PSI’s Student Associations were actively lobbying TransLink and the Province to implement a Metro Vancouver U-Pass program that would be low cost and equal for all participating PSIs, and, most importantly, Student Associations would have the right to join or not join the new U-Pass BC Program.
TransLink worked with the 11 public PSIs and their Student Associations in Metro Vancouver to develop a standard U-Pass BC Agreement that allowed each PSI some latitude on establishing how this standard agreement would best apply at a particular PSI. The standard agreement, as in all universal transit fare programs to keep the cost of the fare as low as possible, relies on low transit users helping to cover the costs of high transit users. A student using transit 10 times a week over 1-zone pays the same rate as a student using the pass 60 times a week over 3-zones. This is how “universal” programs can keep the cost as low as possible and encourages low transit users to use transit more often.
In Kwantlen’s case the Student Association felt that a more inclusive pass, offering more benefits to their students, would be necessary to ensure students would see the benefit of the pass and vote to join the U-Pass BC program. Since 2010, Kwantlen Student Association has held three referendums to their members, requesting continuation of the U-Pass BC Program at Kwantlen… each referendum has passed with the latest extending the Program until April 2018.
That said, please note that the U-Pass BC allows the holder to travel on TransLink at any time over the entire transit system, day or night, and is not only used to go to and from school.
Hello, I live in the peace river region and travel to southern BC fairly often. I am wondering why the yellow and white road paint seems to last so long or is maintained so well south of the pine pass, as well as why there is metallic/reflective properties in the road paint? When will we get to see some longer lasting and more visible paint in the north?
Hi Trent,
Thanks for connecting with us here. Is there a specific stretch of road you are thinking of which is better maintained? We will let the area manager know of your concern for follow up. Regarding your comment about reflective/metallic paint, yes – some areas of the province which are prone to wet and dark weather have line markings which use reflective beads to increase visibility. Federal laws have been changed in recent years, prohibiting the use of our traditional lead based paints. We are currently testing a wide variety of paint types and applications to ensure that line markings are durable and visible across the province. Here’s more about our paint testing project, for your information: http://tranbc.ca/2015/09/25/looking-for-line-painting-that-can-take-a-pounding/#sthash.Nwp5HiCx.dpbs
Hello – just got back from a weekend driving trip through Whistler up North 99 over to Cache Creek/Kamloops. Being a visitor to your beautiful province, and relying on Google Maps for navigation, I was disappointed to find that I had missed the turnoff to 99 in Mount Currie and instead continued on Portage Road, not finding out we were NOT on Hwy 99 until we hit D’Arcy (at that point we asked some residents walking their dog and they said that it happens all the time). It was at least an hour detour. I would suggest better signage for the turnoff (instead of just town names, a sign that indicates Hwy 99 is to the right would be helpful) as well as highway identifier signs on a more frequent basis along the route. Not seeing signs that showed we were on Highway 99 while we were on Portage Road was not all that much different than not seeing signs while we were on Hwy 99 itself. The road that shows on Google maps for Portage road is so faint to be almost non-existent, however, the difference in the actual road between that and 99 was not that much in experience. More identification for those lost tourists such as myself would be much, much appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Annie,
Thanks for connecting with us here and for your valuable feedback. We have shared your comment forward with the local area manager for review.
Off topic here from above, read yesterday the MoT is going to “resurface” West coast Highway 14 on Vancouver Island. I’ve driven the narrow road in the past, wondering if the road will be widen, straightened at all or the road bed redone as those are the two biggest issues.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We shared your comment with the local area manager who informed us that there are no specific details of the type work which will be done at this time.
Is there a timeline when it will start, I’m thinking of towing my trailer out there and wouldn’t want to get delayed for hours as its a very narrow and busy in the summer months. Than you
Is the Mara Bridge repair or construction completed? if not, do you have an estimate4 as to completion? When are cars allowed to cross (days and times)?
Hello Claude,
We spoke with the project manager who gave us the following information:
2016 Mara Bridge work schedule:
Closed 7:00am – 5:00pm Monday to Thursday with a Pedestrian Crossing at noon for the weeks of:
July 4-7
July 11-14
July 18-21
July 25-28
For more information, please contact:
JPW Road & Bridge – 250-546-3765
Greetings,
On Hwy 99 from the George Massey Tunnel to the Oak Street Bridge there is a dedicated bus lane running northbound, and another bus-only lane running from the Oak Street Bridge to Westminster Hwy southbound. I take this route almost every day, and I constantly see cheater cutting through these lanes. Police occasionally monitor the lanes, but since only buses are allowed in these lanes, I was wondering if using a camera system to catch cheaters might work? Has there been any discussions on setting something like that up?
Hi Ken,
Thanks for your question. Our BC HighwayCams are set up at a low resolution so that they do not collect any personal information, such as license plates. You might want to forward your question to the BC RCMP and ask for increased enforcement along this stretch. Hope that this helps.
Hi, we (the strata council for snow pines estates and several other individuals at Big White) are wondering if the ministry of transportation can pave Snow Pine Way up to the edge of the were the road is meant to be. Currently the road width is 2/3 paved and the remainder of the road width is gravel (mostly pot holes). In the winter when the snow is being pushed to the edge of the road it buries the paved section and only 1/3 of the paved road is usable, the remainder is under snow load. This reduces the road to a single lane at times and at the best of times it is 1.5 lane widths. This is not safe on a daily basis and may seriously impede any emergency vehicles that may have to access the Snow Pine neighbourhood. your attention to this inquiry is greatly appreciated.
Hello Peter,
Thank you for connecting with us here. We spoke with the local area manager who informed us that our maintenance contractor (Argo) will be doing permanent patching in that area later this year to address the road surface. Regarding the snow storage/ narrow lane width, this was a challenging year with record snow accumulation. The ministry right of way was being used for snow storage from private residences which compounded the problem. Both the ministry and Argo will monitor this closely next year to avoid similar problems. As always, the ministry, Argo and Emergency services are in constant communication to ensure access to residences is maintained. Hope that this helps!
There is a MOT streetlight burned out (the first) at the very beginning of the onramp to Highway 1 Northbound from Boundary Road in Burnaby.
Also, at the University Endowment Lands at UBC, there are a couple of issues:
-The UBC Fire Station traffic light is damaged and not operating.
-There needs to be a bike lane installed on Northwest Marine Drive – it is a curvy, hilly road with no shoulder and heavy bike traffic. There is a pedestrian trail that is separate by a concrete barrier, but nowhere for bicycles to go and thus cars and bikes routinely mix and it is difficult for passing to occur due to the limited vision allowed by the road geometry.
Thank you for looking into these.
Hi Clarence,
Thanks for connecting with us here and letting us know about these issues. We have shared your comment with the local area manager for review.
Hi,
Wondering who I would need to get in contact with to request highway signage? I live in Ucluelet and highway 4 between Port Alberni and Tofino/Ucluelet really needs signage to discourage people from stopping for bears and other wildlife.
Slowing down and driving cautiously should be encouraged when wildlife is near the highway, but stopping is very dangerous ( I’ve had close calls with people stopping on blind corners where there is no shoulder just so they could take a picture).
As well human interaction with bears should be avoided and highly discouraged. Bears need space to forage undisturbed, and interactions with humans can lead to habituation and being displaced from important areas where they habit.
In worst case scenarios: “a fed bear is a dead bear”. (A man just this month was filmed feeding a bear on hwy 4–totally unacceptable and illegal). People need to understand this when they are visiting the area.
Thank you for any help!
Hi Jen,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concerns. Feeding wildlife is dangerous for the animals themselves and motorists alike. We have shared your concern forward with the local area office in Nanaimo but would like to ask that you also connect with them directly to discuss signage along the route to discourage this activity.
3rd floor – 2100 Labieux Rd.
Nanaimo, BC V9T 6E9
250 751-3246
Hours of operation:
8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday
Hi Jen,
We shared your request with the local operations manager and he informed us that the ministry is currently working on acquiring “No Feeding Bears” signs to be installed along the route hopefully by next spring. 🙂
Thanks! Great news 🙂
we are experiencing more and more people to bear contact on the Pacific Rim Hwy from Port Alberni BC to the West Coast re: Tofino and Ucluelet. We have dangerous blind curves, large semi trucks and narrow roads, people are stopping their vehicles right on the road to get out and take pictures of the wildlife,actually chasing bears with their wide angle lenses and someone even went so far as to film themselves feeding a bear rice cakes, not one but two pieces. there is a video on line, http://www.cheknews.ca/video-man-feeding-bear-outrages-public-173935/. what are the chances that the ministry would look into putting up ” a fed bear is a dead bear” and no stopping on the highway to view wildlife signs on our roads before someone is seriously hurt, or another bear has to be shot for attacking a person. Thankyou
Hi Trina,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concerns. Feeding wildlife is dangerous for the animals themselves and motorists alike. We have shared your concern forward with the local area office in Nanaimo but would like to ask that you also connect with them directly to discuss signage along the route to discourage this activity.
3rd floor – 2100 Labieux Rd.
Nanaimo, BC V9T 6E9
250 751-3246
Hours of operation:
8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday
Hi Trina,
We shared your request with the local operations manager and he informed us that the ministry is currently working on acquiring “No Feeding Bears” signs to be installed along the route hopefully by next spring. 🙂
I have a house at KHMR in Golden. There was a flood crossing the road up to the resort earlier this spring. The “repair” on this sight is going to cause an accident. Gravel has shifted and creates quite a BANG drop as you drive over it. We have to drive over the shoulder to be safe. Are you going to pave this?
Hi Karen,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We have sent your question forward to the local area manager. Stay tuned.
Hello again Karen and our apologies for the delay in this response. We spoke with the area manager who informed us that this is a site which had significant culvert failure early this spring. The culvert was replaced and the area, which is normally paved, has been left with a gravel surface. This surface is rough and has dried out over the course of the spring. The maintenance contractor, Emcon, is looking for some early season hot mix that would allow them to establish a properly paved surface. Still a bit early in the season, but they hope to address this shortly. In the mean time, they will re-grade the gravel and apply Dust Control to hold the material together a bit better until the pavement can be re-established.
When there are 2 graders working on a narrow gravel road and you come upon them are they not required to pull over and let you by?
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your question. We need a bit more information to get you an answer. Were the graders working side by side or were they in different location on the same road?
i was wondering why it is acceptable to do paving all over the place before the rock slope stability issues are addresses? As there are many and it would make sense to fix that first to avoid damaging the new pavement and as a result save tax payers money, but mainly as safety issues. If a fraction of the people where even aware of what they were driving under…. well they simply wouldn’t drive under it! But i guess you guys have to wait until a life is lost or serious injury for your purse strings to open. I’m curious as to where to find the classification risk assessment that the ministry of transportation uses.
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for your continued interest in the work we do to keep BC highways safe. The safety of the travelling public is our first priority. Since the 1970’s we have had a dedicated stabilization program aimed at reducing rockfall on BC Highways. With BC’s mountainous terrain and changing weather conditions it is not possible to prevent all rockfalls from occurring as it would be cost prohibitive to do so.
Our geo-technical engineers monitor the stabilization work our contractors do on BC highways to ensure that our standards are being met. We try to coordinate stabilization activities in advance of paving projects whenever possible.
Hi there,
This is a request re: road noise on the maryhill bypass/Pitt river road. There is increasingly more and more road noise that is affecting the residents on the north side of the maryhill bypass. Especially in the summer months. There are a number of town homes east of Pitt river (directly opposite the pub) and then to the west of Pitt river, next to the shell station, there is a children’s playground, and the road noise in that area is very loud. Who is the best person or people’s to speak to in regard to this concern? An acoustic fence may be helpful. Thankyou in advance.
Hi Claire,
Thanks for connecting with us here. Please contact the Lower Mainland District Office directly with your questions about noise abatement. Here is their contact information:
Lower Mainland District
Suite 310 – 1500 Woolridge St.
Coquitlam, BC V3K 0B8
604 527-2221
Hours of operation:
8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday
Thank you
The truck only enterance to the port mann bridge east bound needs signs for how to get to the car one. I drove past it both ways trying to figure out where the car on ramp is. Coming from the 7b there is even a sign that says highway 1 east bound is ahead on united blvd which made me think O was going the right way. Turns out thia is for the bike lane!
From highway 7b it should say trucks go left, cars go right and a sign needs to be put at the truck only on ramp for traffic feom both directions. Cops are ticketing people for using on ramp but it is impossible to figure out other options given lack of signage.
Hi Andre,
Thanks for sharing your concern with us here. We have sent your comment forward to the area office for review.
I was crossing the Lions Gate Bridge this evening. There was a large ladder lying across two lanes blocking traffic in both directions and presenting a serious hazard to motorists. As there had been no accident, I did not think it appropriate to contact 911, but I wanted to notify the service that deals with issues on the bridge, so they could go and clear it. That led to an unbelievable odyssey.
I tried to find an emergency number for bridges. Nothing. Then I called the City of Vancouver, who didn’t know where to refer me, but connected me to Service BC. Service BC connected me to a number at the Ministry of Transportation, but the person who answered said they could not help me and gave me the number of the contractor who services the Lions Gate Bridge. I called that number and there was no answer.
Finally, in frustration, I did call 911 and notified the police.
If the Lions Gate Bridge is under the jurisdiction of the PRovince, it should provide signage on the bridge notifying drivers what number to contact to obtain support in the event that a call stalls on the bridge, or debris falls of a vehicle, etc… These are not emergencies that merit calling 911, but they pose a serious risk that could result in an accident.
Furthermore, municipalities and others obviously associated with the Lions Gate Bridge should be informed of who to contact regarding the Lions Gate Bridge.
I found this experience to be extremely frustrating and troubling. Please advise on steps that you will be taking to address the issue.
Hi Gil,
Thank you for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. Further to your conversation with Mainroad Howe Sound Operations Manager on this matter, we will explore the option of installing signage with contact information for bridge issues, and touch base with surrounding municipalities about who to contact for road and bridge issues.
Marine Drive to the median for traffic turning north on Taylor Way? I understand this corridor is considered to be under the jurisdiction of BC Highways (not West Vancouver). This is a very challenging crosswalk to navigate as traffic coming north off the Lions Gate Bridge intending to head towards Whistler literally whistle around that corner. My wife and I have witnessed numerous rear-enders as a car sees pedestrians and brakes suddenly… of course the hazard to pedestrians themselves is higher. Given the great new warning lights for cyclists/pedestrians on the Stanley Park Causeway, it sure is time for the same to be put in place at this dangerous and more heavily pedestrian-used corner. Thank you for your consideration.
Hi Randy,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We have shared your comments with our traffic engineers who will review pedestrian safety at the Marine Drive and Taylor Way intersection. The ministry will review their recommendations, and continue to monitor the intersection.
When will the province of BC actually take road safety seriously? The BC Health Officers report Where the Rubber Meets the Road makes a lot of great recommendations based on evidence. Things like reducing default speed limits in municipalities from 50kmh to 30, and reintroducing photoradar or another similar form of automated enforcement. Yet the MoTI says no to photo radar, and no to lower speed limits, because they really only care about votes, and letting people drive fast and kill people is more popular then asking them to slow down?! This is an official government report making these suggestions, yet the ministry responsible says, no thanks, let’s just raise the speed limit instead.
Hi Jim,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concerns. The idea of a 40 km/h default speed limit was considered by Union of BC Municipalities however, the resolution wasn’t passed, and therefore, we are not considering a 30 km/h default speed limit.
When the ministry’s professional engineers reviewed the speed limits on BC highways in 2014, changes to limits were made to reflect the operating speed where it was considered safe to do so. We continue to review these changes and work with communities across the province to make our highways and roads as safe as possible. We also continue to invest in other road safety initiatives such as the new Road Safety Improvement Program, and the push to strengthen our distracted driving laws. Hope this response helps and if you have any other questions or concerns, please let us know.
I appreciate the response, but it really doesn’t. BC can look around the world to jurisdictions with better outcomes, and these jurisdictions actions align with the recommendations from the rubber meets the road report right from here in BC. But again, it isn’t about road safety is it, it’s about politics.
It’s nice to see the temporary bridge expansion joint cover of the Lions Gate Bridge is essentially unnoticeable this time around.
But it only serves to emphasize the significant the bump is one encounters at the joint the South end of the bride deck where it meets the Causeway, in particular on the East lane.
Are there any plans to make that joint a less jolting experience?
Hi Ian,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We are aware of the condition of the driving surface at the south end abutment of the Lions Gate Bridge and we are monitoring this area on a regular basis to be sure it stays within tolerances for rideability and safety.
Can you tell me if there is a planned pedestrian overpass at highway 17 and 52nd street in Delta? I am concerned about safety when crossing the highway to go to the new mall which opens shortly. If not, what is the province’s plan to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists?
Hi Kristin,
We are looking into this for you. Stay tuned.
Road Noise: TCH at Frayne Road. Could an acoustic berm, fence or other acoustic structure be established on the East Side of the TCH from the Frayne Road intersection going south about 1/4 – 1/2 mile? The road noise from the highway has increased ten fold over the past 10 years and has adversely impacted the quality of life on those residents living on Liggett, Bidston and Huckleberry, as well as those residents living in Sentinel Ridge. There is already an acoustic barrier established on the east and west side of the TCH heading north from Frayne Road so why not on the eastern side of the TCH but heading south? For your consideration
Hi John, Thanks for your comment about the noise levels on the east side of the Trans-Canada Highway, at Frayne Road/Ligget, Bidston and Huckleberry. I have forwarded your comments and your request for an acoustic barrier, to ministry staff in the Vancouver Island District office.
We stopped at the Kicking Horse rest area, as we were travelling home to Kelowna this last weekend from Alberta. Please please tell your contractors (or whomever is responsible for the maintenance at this rest stop) to clean up this area! Now that the snow has melted, there is garbage and dog feces everywhere. The bathrooms were also dirty. It was pretty disgusting and not an enjoyable stop.
Hi Marnie,
Thanks for letting us know. We have shared your comment forward for follow up.
Now that motorcycle season is upon us I think it is incumbent on our government to protect riders’ lives by repairing the particularly nasty potholes at Hwy 99 and Cleveland and Garibaldi Way in Squamish.
There is potential for serious injury or worse due to the current condition of our roads not to mention embarrassing to have our thousands of visitors and locals alike see our major roadway in such a state of disrepair.
I believe this is the responsibility of the Ministry of Transportation.
I have never seen these intersections in such dire condition having lived in the corridor since 1981.
I implore the department to address this problem asap.
Hello Ed,
Thank you for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. We will forward your comment directly to the area manager for review.
Hello again Ed,
We shared your concern with the area manager and he informed us that our concession contractor, Miller Capilano, is aware of the pothole and has tried to temporarily patch the area. The open graded asphalt that is currently on the surface of Hwy 99 in that area, is breaking down further with the heat of the new hot mix asphalt is applied in attempts to patch the pothole. Miller Capilano has plans this Monday to grind the existing surface and apply hot mix asphalt to make the necessary repairs to the Cleveland intersection.
I’d like to know if you have any plans for Hwy 1, upper levels, where you have a couple of very short or one could even say non-existent westbound on-ramps at Lynn Valley and also Capilano road. It is challenging for drivers to merge with very little room to get up to speed. I realize this entails competing priorities for money to fix, however in the interim would you consider closing these on-ramps in the interest of public safety. thank you for the opportunity to raise these issues here!
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing your concerns and suggestions about the on-ramps at Lynn Valley and Capilano Roads, to get onto Hwy 1. I have forwarded them to our district folks for their consideration.
Bicycles and motorcycles activating the inductive loops at traffic signals.
Hi DriveSmartBC, thanks for bringing forward this topic. Is there some aspect you particularly wish to know about i.e. whether motorcycles and bicycles are able to activate the loops at traffic signals? We want to ensure we provide the information you are seeking.
Hello, I wanted to comment on Mt Lehman Rd in Abbotsford. South of Simpson Rd to the airport Mt Lehman is only 2 lanes. To be perfectly honest, 2 lanes is more then significant for traffic at all times of day, including rush hour, now and in the foreseeable future, even after the city puts through the King/Marshall Rd connection.
The issue is the road has no paved shoulders at all and is narrow and winding in this section. The road desperately needs paved shoulders (preferably signed as bike lanes, but as long as they are there is better then current) as it is winding, has a steep grade, and is used by large commercial vehicles. There is already one road side memorial here, and cyclists and pedestrians here are in a very unsafe position.
To expand this to 4 lanes as the province wants to do (sometime off in the distant future) will be pretty costly on the hill area between Simpson and Marshall as the surface drops off a steep grade on the sides where the extra lanes would need to be. There is sufficient room to install paved shoulders however, and this would be a much cheaper option and would improve safety now, rather then having to wait until the province has the funds to unnecessarily widen the road to 4 lanes. We do not need any more road side memorials on Mt Lehman Rd please.
Thanks Jim. We appreciate your feedback, and relayed to the local district office.
While searching out a route for an over height vehicle, I noticed that some of the overpasses do not have a placard that indicates the clearance. I’m curious as to why, and wondering if the non-placarded ones are over a certain height and placarding is deemed unnecessary. Two examples are Evans Road over pass near Abbotsford, and Prest Road over pass near Chilliwack.
Hi Phil,
Ministry Sign policy does not require a vertical clearance sign to be posted if the clearance is above 5m Vertical Clearance Data for many numbered highway routes is available on Drive BC (http://www.drivebc.ca/cvrp/)
There are some exceptions – for example, most structures on Vancouver Island are signed regardless of height. Hope that helps.
I would like to know if “Harfman Road”, located south off of Highway 3, just west of Bridesville (40 Km east of Osoyoos) is a public road? The road passes through private property after it goes south from Patterson Road–I’d like to know if the road itself is public (even though the land on either side is private). Is there a master map that shows all publically accessible roads, even very minor ones?
Hi John,
Harfman Road is considered a public road for a distance of 1050m from a point starting at the junction with Hwy 3/Sidley Mountain Road then easterly to the southeast boundary of Section 9 Township 66 as noted on the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) mapping website, which can be found at: https://rdkb.sgrc.selkirk.ca/Viewer.html?Viewer=public. If you wish to discuss more, the West Kootenay District would be happy to answer your questions: 250-354-6400
I was curious if you had any info on a possible decommissioned interchange on highway 99 south of Vancouver, where the freeway crosses the bnsf tracks (right at mud bay park). You can see the remnants of paved ramps on both sides of the freeway. It seems like an odd place for there to have been an interchange. I could not find any information through any means available to me.
Hi Rick,
I’ve shared your questions with the lower mainland district office to see if anyone has some info. Hopefully we’ll have something for you.
HI,
I have just bought my first new pick up truck a f350 crew cab diesel long box Lariat 4×4. Basically the same as my old truck. Yeeeeaaah. Unfortunately on trying to insure it I was told it was over the weight limit (5000kg) and I need a NSC number like a logging truck or semi. This seems crazy!! As a farmer and carpenter, very few farmers I know dont just work on the farm, I can’t have farm plates even though we have farm status and i had to insure it personal only use until i get this number, and pay $200. I was told this is now very common and that the weight of trucks had gone up. This is an unnecessary cost and seems ludicrous to compare a pick up with a semi. The rules and limits are old based on old truck weights is the ministry or CVSE going to update the limits to suit or are they just happy to extract another $200 from a whole new demographic?
Hi Mark,
According to ICBC, the minimum Licensed Gross Vehicle Weight (LGVW) they will register a commercial/business vehicle for is 1.5 times the net (or empty) weight of the vehicle. That ensure the LGVW covers the truck and any load that it is carrying. The LGVW can be increased from there if the vehicle is going to be pulling a commercial trailer as well, since the LGVW would also need to include the weight of the trailer and its load.
If the LGVW is over 5000 kg and the vehicle is being used for commercial/business use, the vehicle is then required to operate under a National Safety Code (NSC) safety certificate. That weight limit applies regardless of the body style/type of vehicle. The weight at which a commercial vehicle becomes regulated by NSC is based on national standard, though BC has already increased that weight from the federal standard of 4500 kg. This requirement is enforced by ICBC’s vehicle registration system in order to ensure commercial vehicles of all weights and sizes are able to be appropriately monitored. This allows us to ensure that vehicles are operating safely on the our provincial highways and in compliance with the relevant regulations.
If the pickup truck was being registered for personal/pleasure use only, rather than being insured for business/commercial use, an NSC certificate would not be required in order to operate the vehicle.
Hello,
I was wondering if the traffic light at River Road and Lougheed Hwy in Maple Ridge could be serviced. This is the section where the road goes from four lanes down to a single lane in each direction. For the past month the traffic light going east bound gets activated by it self and the left turning lane goes off….with know one in it. This causes extreme backup to the traffic going westbound.
My other question would be when this traffic was installed, why wasn’t a right merge lane put in? The light again changes for the traffic just turning right, meaning the traffic going eastbound gets stopped and again causes backups.
With houses still being affordable out in the Mission area, traffic conjestion is happening daily and is only going to get worse. By chance is there anything in the works for widening and adding more lanes between River Road and Wilson Road? And also from Silverdale to Nelson Rd in Mission?
Thank you.
Hello Kim and thanks for contacting us here. We have shared your comment forward with the local area office for follow up.
I have three separate things to comment on:
1. As I travel regularly between the Shuswap and Calgary I have observed significant work on a slide/washout area near the eastern side of the Rogers Pass. Where can I find more info about this (and for that matter, any proposed roadwork/construction/realignments on the #1)? There is very little rural info on this site.
2. After travelling in the US with our trailer I was shocked at how few rest areas there are on ALL highways in BC. Are there any plans to address this?
3. It would be “really nice” if you would date your articles on here – that way, rather than guessing when one might have been written, it’s pretty obvious.
Hi Don,
Thanks for connecting with us here. Rogers Pass is located in Glacier National Park which means that this stretch of road is maintained by the federal government (more on that here: http://tranbc.ca/2013/06/25/share-and-share-alike-federal-sections-on-provincial-highways/#sthash.uocqnabM.GtWSNyOS.dpbs). The provincial initiative to four lane BC Highway 1 to the Alberta border, and all related project information, can be found here: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bchwy1/
We are currently in the process a rest area revitalization program in BC and our government has committed to investing $9 million for new and upgraded rest areas throughout B.C over the next three years. These upgrades are a priority of B.C. on the Move, our 10-year transportation plan. You can find more information on that plan online at http://engage.gov.bc.ca/transportationplan/
Thanks also for your feedback on the published date for our articles. We are hoping to refresh this blog in the near future and the date will be featured at the head of each blog. In the meantime, you can find the date published in the url of each blog. For example, the federal/provincial responsibility blog we shared above indicates that the blog was originally published in 2013/06/25/.
I hope that this helps – please let us know if you have any other questions.
Thanks! The plans are a bit “fluffy” – personally would prefer somewhere to find detailed site realignment info etc., but I realize that may not be online. Anyway – good news on more rest stops; for those of us travelling with large rigs, that is excellent.
Similar to a prior commenter, it seems it’s “incredibly difficult to send an email to tranbc”. To be more specific, there is no response from tranBC via:
http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/feedback.html
“Email Us” TRANBMClientRelations@gov.bc.ca
The lack of a phone number is also hardly acceptable practice.
To the issue of concern:
The page http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/71.html shows the North and Mid-span cameras on the IronWorker’s bridge are “Unavailable due to construction”, yet the construction of the widened sidewalks finished at least 6 months ago!
How long are these cameras going to remain out of operation ? Plus the cable back in please!
On a related note, now that the MOTI has made public the cameras at Lonsdale and Westview interchanges, when it is going to make available the camera feeds from the bottom of “the Cut”, the and the Fern/ Seymour interchanges? That is the location where things are always getting backed up. By the time it reaches Lonsdale/Westview, everyone already knows because the North Shore is most likely gridlocked.
Hi Ian,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. The email you mentioned is the DriveBC feedback inbox, which we can confirm is monitored daily. If you have sent an email to this address and have not gotten a response, we would be happy to follow up on it for you.
We use an email based feedback system as it allows us to collect feedback at any time of the day or night and email feedback also gives us a written record of any issue which we can trace from start to finish. The only instance where a user of this service might not receive a reply is when they don’t supply us with any means to contact them.
TranBC (that’s us!), is the conversational counterpart to DriveBC. We monitor this blog, and any comments posted to it, during business hours Monday to Friday and make responses to any question or concern on this page a high priority. Here’s a blog we created to outline the differences between TranBC and DriveBC if you are interested in learning more.
We shared your concern about the mid-span camera on the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge with our webcam guy and he informed us that the cams at the bottom of The Cut and the Fern/Seymour overpass are used for operational reasons and tend to move around, so no consistent views are available. Because work has begun/will begin on the Mountain Highway Overpass at the bottom of The Cut, there will be less stability in that area for mounting a camera long-term until the construction has completed.
For the cameras on the Ironworkers Bridge there are two reasons the cams are not up and running. The first is that, while construction officially completed a while ago, there was continuing work being done…including on the massive amounts of cable infrastructure running below the bridge deck. There have also been some technical issues with installation of the replacement cameras. We hope to have this cam back in action as soon as possible for you. Hope that this helps, and if you have any questions about this or any other transportation related issue, let us know and we will happily look into it for you.
Hope that this helps!
Hello,
re: “We use an email based feedback system as it allows us to collect feedback …”
Follow-up: Despite my supplying a valid email address to post this message and the original email to TRANBMClientRelations@gov.bc.ca, in neither case was a copy of the submitted message sent as acknowledgment (or autoreply) to my email address. This is a common feature elsewhere that not only the confirmation but also the responses or the tracked conversations are all sent via email. It’s better user experience to let the user know there’s been a response than them checking every so often to see if you responded.
re: “For the cameras on the Ironworkers Bridge there are two reasons the cams are not up and running … We hope to have this cam back in action as soon as possible for you.”
Follow-up: Is there an expected timeframe in which we can expect them back on-line?
re: “the cams at the bottom of The Cut and the Fern/Seymour overpass are used for operational reasons and tend to move around, so no consistent views are available. Because work has begun/will begin on the Mountain Highway Overpass at the bottom of The Cut, there will be less stability in that area for mounting a camera long-term until the construction has completed.”
Follow-up: You do appreciate the irony in that the redesign of Fern / Mtn Hwy is because that’s where it tends to get backed up all the time and, the construction has the certain potential to create even more chaos and back-ups. If people had the chance to see what traffic was like they could make alternate travel / route / time plans and avoid contributing to the chaos!
If the cameras are operational, just make the feeds public. I’m pretty sure the public is smart enough to figure out if a camera is pointing in a different direction or has been relocated based on what they are looking at. The existing ones on IWMB and LGB point in different directions all the time.
Hello Ian,
We looked into this and can confirm that when users submit an email to the DriveBC Feedback button on DriveBC, the system issues an auto reply to the email address provided at the time of comment. At this time TranBC does not send an auto reply but we are looking at improving our blog site and have added this feature to our wish list.
We have been expecting the cameras on the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge to come back online for awhile and are hoping that they will be available for viewing any day now. We are trying our best to make this happen as quickly as possible and we appreciate your patience. We also sympathize with your frustration regarding the cameras at the Fern/Mountain Highway Interchange projects. The cameras at these locations can’t provide viewers with any standard view that would be helpful (some cameras are pointed at the ground etc.) and so, unfortunately, we will have to wait until they are mounted into position again before we flick the switch on them again.
Hope that this helps!
Hello
I am a trucker and i go to Alberta from lower mainland area. I want to request you if you can make some clean rest areas with clean heated washrooms it will be great. right now there are only two of them one is on Coquahalla Southbound and after exit 264 westbound.
Hi Harmeet,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your feedback. We will share your comment forward on your behalf.
I find it incredibly difficult to send an email to tranbc, hence my post here. When there are 40 or 50 cars waiting to get into a traffic roundabout, is there a priority like at a 4 way stop? I am told that in many parts of the world, such a system exists but have never heard of that rule not seen any mention on your website, which, by the way, deals with the imaginary world of 1 or 2 cars entering or leaving the roundabout. How about a traffic animation with 40 cars waiting to enter and regular drivers going around without knowing what they are doing and pedestrians crossing through the centre, at least it would be more realistic!! We need help tpo deal with busy roundabouts, like the one outside my window at work.
Thanks
Hi Armand,
Thanks for connecting with us here – we appreciate hearing from you. The rules that govern modern roundabout are not quite the same as those that govern a 4 way stop. In a four way stop scenario, if two vehicles arrive at the same time, the one on the right should go first. At a roundabout, the most important rules to understand are: yield to traffic already in the roundabout (coming from your immediate left) and enter the roundabout to your right when there is a gap in traffic and you feel it is safe to do so. Here is the full excerpt from ICBC:
The basic rules for using a roundabout are:
1. When approaching, reduce your speed, watch for signs that may help you find your exit, watch for people using the crosswalk and be ready to stop.
2. Before entering, yield to traffic already in the roundabout that comes from your immediate left.
3. Enter the roundabout to your right (a counter clockwise direction) when there is a gap in traffic and you feel it is safe to do so. Continue until you reach your exit.
4. Never come to a full stop in the roundabout unless traffic conditions require it.
5. To exit, use your right turn signal to let other road users know where you plan to exit. Watch for people using the crosswalk, exit at a slow speed and be ready to stop.
Here are some links to further information on the rules of the roundabout.
http://tranbc.ca/2011/04/12/round-and-round-we-go-rules-of-the-roundabout/#sthash.oOuqhHH0.dpbs
http://tranbc.ca/2012/07/20/right-right-and-you-will-be-alright-on-roundabouts/#sthash.OwpUYARy.dpbs
The flow of traffic in a modern roundabout should flow freely even with larger volumes of traffic.
Given that these traffic control devices are somewhat new to the drivers of BC, we expect that it will take some time for everyone to adjust to them. I hope that this answers your question. If you want to connect with us again about this or any other transportation related question, you can also connect with us on Facebook and via Twitter.
Suggestions for Safety Improvements – 2 Locations
I am writing to provide input with regards to improving safety at two stretches of roadway. Please read these as suggestions for improvement rather than complaints–I hope these are helpful!
Location #1: Mission
Several improvements could be made along the Lougheed through Mission where North Railway Avenue and 1st Avenue merge heading eastbound. I have driven this section several times, and it is always nerve-wracking making this merge—but some simple measures could be taken to alleviate this issue significantly.
Ultimately, the issue at this location is with visibility, and the manner in which the road narrows at a crucial point. For vehicles heading East on North Railway Avenue, they are climbing a hill. The speed, I recall, is 70 km/h. As the vehicles near the top of the hill, several things happen:
a) A fast merge needs to happen
b) The incoming vehicle needs to accelerate to the speed of traffic on 1st Avenue
c) The driver on North Railway needs to left-shoulder check very carefully before merging, because the merge lane is extremely short, leaving little room for miscalculation
This merge is highly dangerous. There are several aggravating factors that make the above-mentioned criteria for safely merging difficult. First, accelerating up the hill, drivers on North Railway Avenue cannot see the traffic that they are about to merge with, as it is at a higher elevation. When the incoming drivers reach the point where they can see the vehicles on North Railway, there are mere seconds to shoulder / mirror check, because the merge lane is so short. But this isn’t the only danger:
Right where all this happens—where the driver needs to focus on what’s happening on their left side—the road narrows abruptly on the right hand side, with a steep embankment and very little shoulder. As far as I recall, there isn’t any warning of this sudden narrowing of the road. Because drivers are trying to pay attention to so many factors all at once here—compensating for the lack of visibility, accelerating to highway speed, merging to the left—it is very easy to not notice what is happening on the right-hand shoulder. When I first drove this section, I was driving below the posted speed limit, at 60 km/h—and still nearly drove dangerously close to the embankment. It was scary, and, quite frankly, even now that I know how to make this merge safely, I still try to avoid it as much as possible, because I never feel comfortable there.
So, how could this be fixed?
First off: post a warning well ahead of time. For example, near the bottom of the hill eastbound near the sawmill on North Railway Avenue, just past the Glasgow Avenue overpass, put up a sign warning drivers that a tight, limited-visibility merge will be taking place up ahead at the top of the hill. This will allow drivers to know what to expect in advance.
Secondly, put up a big bright yellow marker where the road narrows. And put up a sign 200 feet before it actually does—again, at 70 km/h, drivers need warning of this hazard. As far as I recall, there is no signage here—it just happens, and it’s hard to see until it’s too late.
Thirdly, perhaps it might be worth considering lowering the speed limit by 10 km/h for several hundred meters around this merging area, both on North Railway and on 1st Avenue.
Fourthly, for traffic on 1st Avenue, an advisory sign for right-lane traffic, shortly ahead of the merge zone, could be posted, warning drivers that the incoming traffic has limited visibility, and to give extra room or slow down.
***
Location # 2: Fraser Canyon Corridor
Overall, the Fraser Canyon Highway 1 is an excellent roadway. Safety has improved dramatically here since the implementation of the Fraser Canyon Traffic Safety Committee. I’ve driven this route numerous times, and prefer it over the Coquihalla.
However, I do have some concerns about a few locations. I was driving the highway this evening, and found myself in some uncomfortable situations. It was dark; in many locations, it was raining, sleet, or foggy. The roadway was also relatively busy.
My concern pertains to areas that are mostly within the posted speed limit of 100 km/h between Boston Bar and Yale. Now, in the abovementioned adverse visibility conditions, it was necessary to reduce my speed anywhere from 10 to 40 km/h below the speed limit at certain locations (some of which were marked with yellow-sign advisory speeds; many locations weren’t).
Even where there was no fog or precipitation, and where I had my high-beams on (which wasn’t possible everywhere, out of consideration for oncoming vehicles), there were a few spots where, even at a reduced velocity, it was challenging to follow the road.
At several sharp corners in this region, I found it was hard to see the outline of the roadway curve / direction—there could definitely be a higher density of reflectors / yellow markers in place. Essentially, there are a series of points along the roadway—the corner heading southbound out of Sailor Bar Tunnel is a notable example—where the distance between reflective markers are too far apart in relation to the sharpness of the turns.
This issue is aggravated by drivers who, in single-lane areas, tailgate drivers who are driving at safer speeds. The ensuing headlight glare makes it even harder to see—ironically making it necessary to slow down further—while also putting pressure on the slower driver to find the next safest spot to pull over (because let’s face it—if someone is blinding your view with their headlights too close and it’s another 5km to the nearest passing lane, that’s an immediate safety hazard). Even though there are several perfectly safe (smaller) pull-outs available, at night or in reduced visibility it can be tough to spot them in time with the exception of a few of the larger ones, such as the ones near Jackass Mountain).
So here’s another suggestion: 300 meters ahead of these pullouts, a sign could indicate their presence, giving drivers a chance to safely pull off with adequate signaling and deceleration time.
Lastly, at several points in the roadway, there are signs with advised reduced speeds for specific corners. Well, there could be a few more of these signs, and the corner coming out of Sailor Bar Tunnel would be a great place to start!
So those are my suggestions! Thanks for taking all the time to read this, and once again, I hope these are helpful! (One last thing—I’m actually a fairly new driver, only 23 years old. Just thought you’d like to know these suggestions are coming from a young guy! And I have no desire for a future of self-driving cars—driving is way too much fun 🙂
Hi Jeffrey,
Thank you for your comprehensive comment! We appreciate hearing from you and want to let you know that we have passed your suggestions/concerns on to the local area office for review. We will share any information back once we get it.
Hi again Jeffrey,
These items have been sent to the district engineer who has put them on his list for review. Thanks again for contacting us.
Just wanted to share my thanks & appreciation for the responses to my post on February 1st (RE: Suggestions for Improvement). I’m happy to hear that my suggestions were forwarded and noted for consideration. I hope they are of assistance!
best,
jeff
Thanks again for connecting with us here Jeffrey. If you have any other questions or concerns, let us know.
Hello I’m one of the few residents on North Shore Rd in Lake Cowichan B.C , after a recent rainfall we had water come over the highway and driveways becuse of the plugged small culverts in our driveway accesses also causing the gravel to wash out around and on the top aswell . there is a creek feeding the ditch that flows quite well on the mountainside and it is also marked for a new logging road to be built right where the creek mouth meets the highway And ditch line .I’m curious if there is any plan for the added flow of water when roadbuilding and logging begins as it has no culvert across under the highway and the water still has to travel along way down the ditch line under our driveway accesses where it ends flooding a neighbours field before reaching the lake or till the culverts plug again and cross the highway ? I have 10 years in the paving industry and going on three years logging . i have seen what water can do and were shut down today for to much rainfall. Thanks
Hello,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We have shared your comment with the local area manager and will let you know what we hear back.
Hello,
I ride my bike every day to UBC from East Van, usually west on SW Marine Drive and then home eastward along 16th Avenue. The bike lanes are getting increasingly dirty and there is so much dirt, twigs, leaves, and mud on the path that it’s becoming really bad for the bike. All this gets thrown up every day into the chain and ruins it. The highway itself is fine (in fact I often take a chance and ride in it) and it seems that the cars are moving the dirt to the bike lane as they go past. In the city of Vancouver the streets are cleaned every fall/winter, and I’ve noticed that the dirt starts at Alma on W. 16th and just west of the Musqueam Reserve on Marine Dr. Please get this cleaned – it’s horrible cycling on it, both for me and also for all the other cyclists who use this route.
Thanks very much,
Jenny Vermeulen
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for your comment. In regards to the areas, you’ve identified, Alma Street at West 16th Avenue falls under the City of Vancouver’s responsibility while our ministry has West 16th Avenue west of Blanca and SWMD west of 41st Street. Our maintenance contractor (Mainroad) advises that the provincial roadways at UBC were swept / flushed in November and again in December. Mainroad recently assessed the bike lanes at UBC and they swept South West Marine Drive again last night.
How is it determined which roads around a school are subject to a 30km speed limit during school hours?
My 5 year old and I cross Cornwall to get to Henry Hudson, (along with hundreds of other parents and students) and I am horrified daily by the speed of most drivers (70-80 is not uncommon). Any plans to implement a reduced speed zone between maple and cypress on Cornwall?
Thanks!
Hi Kim,
Thanks for connecting with us here. Unfortunately the location you are interested in falls under the jurisdiction of the City of Vancouver. You can share your concern with them here: http://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-the-city-of-vancouver.aspx
Hope that this helps!
I was wondering if there was a database for posted speed limits on B.C highways. For example, if I wanted to know the posted speed limits for a 100km stretch of Highway in the Fraser Lake, B.C. area… Thanks, -RH.
Hello Robert,
While we do keep a record of speed limits for our highways, they are not organized within a database in such a way that the public can access it. Over the years, we have hoped companies like Tom Tom, Garmin, or Google would create a database, so the public would use.
If we are given a specific location, we can provide out the speed limit. Would you like to know the limit posted for a particular 100 km of highway near Fraser Lake?
I would like to know if you have any plans to install a DC electric vehicle charger along the Coquihalla Hwy? Although the distance isn’t long from Hope to Merritt the road is steep and uses a lot of energy in an EV vehicle. It is necessary to charge along the way. Could you please install a charger at the Britton Creek rest stop so the more people can drive their electric vehicles on the Coquihalla?
Thank you.
Hi Joldine,
Good question! We are looking into an answer for you so please stay tuned!
Hi Joldine,
We spoke with the local area manager and she informed us that the topic is under discussion but no formal decision has been made. Merritt does have some in and around the city. Here is a link for more information on those: http://www.merritt.ca/news/electric-vehicle-charging-station-ready-tourists
Please advise how I can resolve a maintenance issue on Gabriola Island. There is no sweeper on this island, despite the road conditions here that are ideal for its use. Instead, the local contractor is clearing leaves and twigs from our uneven/undulating roads with a huge blade on a truck or grader. Needless to say it is ineffective and causing more damage than good. In fact, our line painting was not completed this year due to the detritus on the road that blades cannot remove. Our lines are obscured by fallen leaves/needles, and it is an ongoing problem, given the nature of the trees overhanging the roads and the topography that does not suit a eight or ten foot blade.
I have done research in this matter, and other jurisdictions around the planet use sweepers in areas with similar road construction and climate.
Could you please direct me to the appropriate department so I can make a case for having a sweeper on Gabriola Island full-time? In the interests of safety, and of reducing the damage to the roads, as well as addressing the requirements of the maintenance contract.
Currently, damage is being done to the roadside, the pavement, and probably the equipment, in an unsuccessful attempt to keep the roadsides and bike lanes clear of vegetation etc.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Hello Rick,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We have shared your comment directly with the maintenance contractor in the area for consideration.
Hello Rick,
Thank you for your comment. We contacted the maintenance contractor responsible for Gabriola Island with your concern and they informed us that their annual sweeping will begin in Nanaimo on or about February 1, 2016 (weather permitting) for approximately 2.5 weeks and then, sometime around the 3rd week of February, it will head to Gabriola Island. Normally the broom goes to the island every spring but this year it went for a second visit in the fall for a few roads that required some additional sweeping. They also confirmed that they don’t use a grader to sweep on Gabriola bur rather to strike off high shoulders. Hope that this helps!
Hello TranBC,
Just drove down BC through a blizzard. Blue River to Kamloops to Revelstoke to Nelson.
Many of these roads were very well maintained. thank you. However; Revelstoke to New Denver was in horrific condition, very dangerous.
I understand these may be class B or even C highways. I also understand that the snow removal criteria in place for these roads was probably met, albeit to the minimum standard.
BUT, I saw 4 plows and not one had their blade down. Any one of these plows could have made a huge difference to the safety of the families out there.
Could you explain the reasoning behind this, please. Why drop sand on 9cm of slush and not the blade?
Thank you very much.
Hi Al,
Thanks for connecting with us here and sharing your concern. We have shared your comments forward with the local area manager for review.
Hello again Al,
We spoke with the local area manager and they informed us that often the front plow may be raised and the belly plow down as it has a greater ability to ‘cut’ through slushy compact conditions. Front plows are designed to ride above the asphalt on ‘shoes’ to increase the safety for the truck and driver. Our area manager will be following up to ensure this was the case. Thank you again for your feedback.
Hello,
I was wondering if the Ministry has ever published any road safety manuals for bus operators in BC? Perhaps a handbook that deals with emergency situations at intersections?
Thank you.
Pei
Hello Pei,
ICBC is responsible for road safety and instruction manuals as a part of receiving your Class 4 license in BC. We found their commercial driver road safety manual here and hope that it is helpful to you. http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/driving-guides/Pages/Driving-commercial-vehicles.aspx
Thank you!
I was just curious if the province has any plans on the hwy 1 bridge over the vedder canal between Abbotsford and Chilliwack? Is it planned for any widening or replacement at all (in the 10 year plan for example)?
Hi Jim,
We are looking into this for you. Stay tuned.
Still staying tuned
Hello Jim,
We followed up with the area manager and he was not aware of any planned works in this area. We did look into our 10 year plan, BC on the Move and found this under a list of priorities:
3) Improving
Highway Capacity
and Reliability
Lower Mainland Highways
Advance development of the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project
Initiate design for future construction of six-laning on Highway 1 from Langley
to Abbotsford
Work with communities to plan and deliver highway interchange and overpass
projects throughout the Lower Mainland
Construct highway widening, capacity, safety and operational improvements on
provincial highways throughout the Lower Mainland
Here is a link to the complete plan, hope that this helps. Thanks for following up! http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/government/about-the-bc-government/transportation/bconthemove.pdf
Thanks for the info.
I’m just wondering how all that traffic, ( currently 2 lanes ) turning left off the highway, (going south)turning onto McKenzie will be reduced to one lonely lane, having to go through two traffic lights instead of the current one light will work ? totally does not make sense to me adding more traffic lights, also there is always a backup on McKenzie going south onto admirals (straight through), the new design has not addressed these problems, the roundabout concept was a better idea,
Hi Gord,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We encourage you to attend the second open house on February 24, from 3:30-7:30 p.m., at St. Joseph the Worker Parish Hall. You can also review the summary findings from the first open house (including public feedback on the three proposed designs) here: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/mckenzieinterchange/files/2016/02/McKenzie-Interchange-Project-Fall-2015-Engagement-Summary-Report-Feb.pdf
or you can provide your feedback by sending an email to mckenzieinterchange@gov.bc.ca or, by calling 250 387-8700.
Hope that this helps!
On Hwy 1 in Abbotsford, between Sumas Way and McCallum Road, there is more often then seen on other stretches of highway pedestrians or cyclists. The other night a homeless woman walking on the highway was killed when she was hit by a car. Can the province and city please look into the needs of pedestrians and cyclists in this area. See where they want to go and come from, and provide some infrastructure to address the need. I believe a pedestrian and cycling overpass is something the city is planning for their “U District”. Perhaps that will fit the need. Beyond providing an alternate route for pedestrians and cyclists here, maybe some fencing could be installed to keep people from walking onto the highway. I am not sure what it is about this area but it has more people on it then others. We need to address this through design, so more people don’t have to be hurt or killed here.
Hello Jim,
Thank you for sharing your concern. We have sent your comment directly to the local area manager for consideration.
Who clears the connector. Is it the same company as the Coquihalla Highway, because the connector is just ridicules. Our drive home to Kelowna from Vancouver was less than exciting. The Coquihalla Highway was wet to the pavement & then wow the connector. This was Dec 27th and the plows had not touched the roads. One lane & crawling. We finally saw a plow going south @ 1:00 that day. What seems to be the problem. Are there 2 different company removing the snow if it is the same company maybe they should start on the worst hwy and the one that gets the most snow. The Connector. Please respond at your earliest convenience.
Thank you Sharon Browne Kelowna BC
Hello Sharon,
We are sorry to hear that you were unhappy with the condition of the Okanagan Connector during your travels in December. To answer your question, there are two contractors involved in the maintenance of the Highway 97 Connector. VSA Highway Services are responsible for the road from Merritt to Pennask Summit and Argo Road Maintenance maintains the road from Pennask Summit to Kelowna. The ministry continuously monitors the performance of our maintenance contractors and we have shared your concerns with the local area manager for review. Here is a link with contact information for all of our maintenance contractors in your area: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/maps/serviceareacontacts.htm#second Please feel free to contact them directly should you notice any maintenance issues in the future. Thank you for connecting with us here and sharing your concerns.
Atrocious maintenance (read plowing, sanding) on Highway #3, between Princeton and Hope.
Please, increase maintenance. It is a challenging highway at the best of times.
Stop using gravel and get back to using all sand.
People like me, that have to use the highway system in winter time will thank you
Hello,
Thank you for letting us know of your concern. We have forwarded your comment on to the local area manager for follow up. All of our maintenance contractors are required to achieve a minimum standard of highway maintenance in the winter and BC Highway 3 is no exception. Here is a blog with some more information on highway maintenance standards and requirements: http://tranbc.ca/2014/02/07/the-abcs-of-winter-highway-classification-and-maintenance-in-bc/#sthash.JyTJBuzi.dpbs
Hope that this helps!
I am from Sask and have a suv with all season tires. I want to travel to Vancouver island in March.
Am i forced to buy snow tires for this trip. Other option is to drive thru the US or just go to Palm Springs.
Fret not, Fred. Although we recommend winter tires with the three-peaked mountain/snowflake symbol on the sidewall, all-season tires with the M+S (mud and snow) symbol are legal on all BC highways, as long as they have a minimum 3.5 mm tread depth. Here is more information:
http://tranbc.ca/2014/10/01/shift-into-winter-the-inside-scoop-on-winter-tires/#sthash.NMKP6kmY.dpbs
The links to the winter tires and area maps do not work on Sunday morning, December 20
Hi John,
Thanks for letting us know. We just checked and they appear to be working. Sometimes a particular web browser can cause problems and we have found trying other browsers will display the page properly. Hope that this helps – thanks again for connecting with us here. –
Hello, I’m just wondering because I am heading up to Whistler on Wednesday morning, I currently have all season tires for my car and am prepared to buy chains for the tires due to the snow. My questions are, am I allowed to used chained tires or is it mandatory to have winter tires for vehicles? Please let me know! Thanks.
Hi Calvin,
All season tires with a M+S logo on the sidewall are acceptable as long as they have a minimum 3.5 mm tread depth. Carrying chains (and knowing how to install them) is also recommended. Here is our winter tire website with much more information for you: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/driving/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving/winter-tires-and-chains
Also, we encourage you to check DriveBC for current road condition information so that you can know before you go.
Hope this helps.
HWY3 direction West just after right turn to Elkview Mine. Concrete railing on sharp left turn needs marking stickers. At around 7AM miners driving East and pile up next to the turn having lights on, the concrete road railing on the sharp turn direction West becomes invisible. Contact me for more details if needed.
Hello Stan,
Thanks for connecting with us. Not too sure what you mean by “miners driving East and pile up next to the turn having lights on”?
Hey, me again… I don’t know who is responsible for such decisions, perhaps the MLA’s? but I was thinking that having the excessive speed threshold lowered from 40km/h to 20 could perhaps work to influence drivers behaviours… As it is, for someone to be considered excessively speeding, in a school zone, they would have to be travelling at 70km/h, 90km/h through most neighbourhoods, and this just seems outrageous… Travelling 20km/h over the limit is a concious decision, not a momentary lapse of judgement, and is excessive, the law does not reflect this.
Hi Jim,
Thank you for this. Because we are responsible primarily for speed limits set along the provincial highway system and not through municipal areas (unless the highway passes through a municipality), a letter to your local MLA would likely be the best place to start. Hope that this helps.
It does, thank you
Local Newspaper Sunshine Coast (published in editorials Nov. 26, 2015)
Tuesday evening, I almost became another sad statistic added to a police report.
It was 5pm, quite dark but no rain. I had a reflective yellow stripe is on the back of my jacket, but the driver of the car that nearly hit me was viewing me from the side. I was wearing dark clothes and he obviously did not see me.
His car came within 6″ of crashing into my body as I walked in the crosswalk on Teredo St and Trail Ave in Sechelt. Yes, I’m pretty sure that he was driving too fast, but why did I not see him coming?
It happened in less than a heartbeat. I heard a screech of brakes. I looked behind me. There was the side of a car stopped within six inches of my leg. I actually bent my knees forward in reflex. I felt the wind from the car on my pant leg.
The driver of the car, a young man, rolled down his window and called to me, “I’m sorry! Are you alright?” That was good of him, but I was so frightened that all I could do was walk forward towards the sidewalk and curse several times. I’m sure he got the drift. He drove off.
When I was safe on the other side of Teredo, I saw a woman walking towards me. She could tell that I was shaken. She said his car had come fast out of the Home Hardware parking lot onto Trail Ave. Then I understood. Although I had carefully watched the cars on Teredo, making sure that they saw me as I crossed the street, I had neglected to watch for cars on Trail Ave turning left onto Teredo. After all, there is a stop sign there.
This is what I think happened. The driver was turning from Trail Ave onto Teredo St. He saw that the cars to his right were not too close. He saw the car to his left had slowed almost to a stop; perhaps he though it was turning. He did not look for a pedestrian in the crosswalk. Thank God I was in the middle of the crosswalk by the time he made his fast left turn. He just missed me.
I don’t know if he ran the stop sign, and the woman who saw him didn’t say. I was not aware of his car waiting at the stop sign to turn.
So, I write this letter to get it out of my system. And to promise that I will wear a reflective vest at night.
I kindly ask Sechelt Highways to look into a pedestrian crossing light at Teredo and Trail. Many cars come out from the Trail Bay Mall parking lot onto Teredo, and many people use that crosswalk. A flashing pedestrian light would gain needed attention.
Thank You.
Dayna White
Hi Dayna,
We are glad to hear that you were okay and thank you so much for connecting with us here. We will share your concerns directly with the area manager for review.
More pedestrians are struck by drivers turning left then right if I recall correctly. Perhaps a window post could have obstructed you from the drivers vision, or he was just trying to pay attention to many other things that he has to interact with… But watch out for left hand turners and stay safe
Hello Dayna,
We shared your comment forward with the local area manager and here is his response:
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, as it is a part of a crosswalk review we need to do on the Sunshine Coast. We need to determine lighting levels, at a variety of zebra style crosswalks across Hwy 101.
Our intent is to work on this review over the winter months, and come up with a plan to improve lighting at various crosswalks. The installation of the lighting will be dependent upon funding levels, but we will prioritize the intersections.
Don Legault
A/Operations Manager – Howe Sound and Sunshine Coast
Hope that this helps!
I want to complaining about the merge lane from highway 7/Lougheed highway on to the Port Mann Bridge going East from Coquitlam. I drive to work everyday and have to merge onto the bridge. Three or four accidents have already happened there! I’ve almost been in three or four accidents there and I just saw another one almost happened in front of my eyes yesterday. The biggest problem is that the merge lane is very short and you can’t see the vehicles that are coming up on the left while you’re trying to merge because the divider is too high. So you’re shoulder checking left to try and see if you can merge into the traffic but you can’t see. There needs to be a divider that is lower or that has rails and posts so you can see through the empty spaces to see the traffic coming up on the Highway.
Please tell me who else I can email about this situation! I really hate the stress I feel every day trying to get onto the bridge.
Thank You
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We have forwarded your question/concern to our traffic engineers who are looking into this for you. Stay tuned.
Hi Cathy,
We have tried to connect with you at the email address you provided but it is not working for us. There are two EB merging points from the Lougheed Highway onto the Port Mann Bridge. Could you clarify which merge lane you are referring to? The first merge point is located closer to Brunette while the other is coming from the Mariner/Riverview area and crossing over the highway before merging onto the bridge. Thanks!
Answer: “The other is coming from the Mariner/Riverview area and crossing over the highway before merging onto the bridge.”
This doesn’t appear to be addressed in 2021. We almost got crushed by a tanker truck the other day. The speed of the traffic to merge into is 90 km/hr and the ramp is 80 km/hr. Most likely Mr. Tanker was driving above 90 km/hr. Thankfully we braked and were able to stop just before hitting the railing. Mr. Tanker had no intention of stopping! He would have crushed us. We couldn’t slow down to go behind him, as once again, the merge is so short. Please extend the merge lane, reduce the speed at merge areas, and decrease the visibility impairments for shoulder checking before leaving the ramp.
“There needs to be a divider that is lower or that has rails and posts so you can see through the empty spaces to see the traffic coming up on the Highway.”
Hello Patricia and thank you for your comment. We shared this with our staff in the area and they are reviewing. They have also advised that there is an alternative in place, and if you were to use the 152 St lane option, there is a through lane to Highway 1 eastbound on the east end of the bridge, at the top of Johnson Hill. We hope this is helpful. Thanks again for your comment and safe travels.
Hi,
I was wondering who was responsible for controlling intersections and roads on the University of British Columbia’s campus. There is an intersection at University Blvd and Westbrook Mall which is terribly inefficient. I drive on that road at night (between 7:00pm and 3:00am) at least twice a week and can be waiting at the intersection on red for a minute while being the only car there. One night the lights were flashing red so a four way stop procedure was being used and it was significantly more efficient. I was wondering if there were any plans to improve the intersection with smart traffic lights and if not if it is feasible to make the intersection a four way stop at night.
Additionally, there is a cross walk just south of the bus stop “NB Wesbrook Mall at 2100 Block” on Westbrook Mall which is good and should stay. However there is also a popular crossing point just north (only about 50-75m north) between the Vantage College car park and the UBC Hospital car park which is also a popular crossing point despite the lack of cross walk there. You can identify the crossing point by looking for a dead patch of grass on the centre median which is dead because of the amount of people who jaywalk there. My question is is it feasible to put another crosswalk there?
Thanks in advance,
Cam.
Hi Cam,
Good question. We asked the local area manager to confirm who holds responsibility for this area and he confirmed that the responsibility lies with UBC. He has forwarded your concerns (and your request for another crossing just south of Regent College & JBM (John B. McDonald Building)) over to Campus and Community Planning for a response. Hope that this helps.
PS, please bring back automated speed enforcement. Too many speeders, not enough Police. They cannot possibly be asked to reasonably address the issue. Fixed automated enforcement in urban areas for example, and mobile setups.
Thanks for the feedback Jim – we will share it forward on your behalf.
I was wondering how the time estimates are figured out for the overhead reader boards on Hwy 1 through the Fraser valley. They give estimates on how long it will take to reach destinations such as hastings st or brunette from the current location. It is possible to get to the destinations in the time stated, but only if the person is constantly speeding. Driving at the posted speed there is no way they are accurate. Thanks
Hello Jim,
We are looking into this for you. Stay tuned.
Hi Jim,
There are microwave radar vehicle detectors installed along the highway. Travel times calculated are based on average speeds from the general purpose lanes, excluding HOV lanes and on/off ramp movements and the times are not based on the posted speed limit. They are calculated from the sign location to the beginning of the off-ramp at the interchange listed. This system is intended to provide an average travel time for someone traveling along the highway therefore there may be times when you arrive at a location faster than the time reads, and there may be times when you arrive at a location slower than the time reads.
Hope that this helps!
Interesting, thanks 🙂
Hi again Jim,
A video has just been released discussing the travel advisory time boards which we thought you might find interesting. Let us know what you think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T07NMtFS8r0&feature=youtu.be
It’s informative and well made, thanks 🙂 One thing though, I find it interesting that in an official video, the lanes on the highway are referred to as the slow middle and fast lane, since they all have the same speed limit.
A great point – we will pass that along to them for consideration. Thanks Jim!
Who is responsible for the maintenance of the Peardonville Rd overpass over Hwy 1 in Abbotsford? The city, or the province? Thanks
Hi Jim,
The overpass is owned by the ministry however responsibility for the maintenance (plowing, salting etc.) lies with the City of Abbotsford. Hope that this helps!
In regards to the maintenance I was referring to the structure itself. The bridge features drainage grating, which are in deep recessions in the pavement surface. Beyond them being located in large surface recessions, the grating design is hazardous for cyclists. They are older style grates and they have wide grating running the same way as traffic, so that a bicycle tire could potentially become lodged in it causing a crash. Some kind of modification that would mount a newer style grating flush with the surface that is safe for bicycles would be nice. I’m not sure if that is something the MoTI could look into. Also, I’m not sure what the lifespan of the overpass is as I feel it may be replaced when the province widens the highway below it? Thanks
Hi Jim,
Thanks for this feedback. We will share directly with the area manager for review.
Hello again Jim,
We spoke to our local area manager regarding the surface of the Peardonville Overpass. He confirmed that this is an older structure which will be replaced in five to eight years when the highway is widened. As such, we cannot budget for a new surface and encourage cyclists to avoid the recessed areas while travelling over the bridge. Thanks again for bringing this to our attention and if you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us here or Mike Kelly our Operations Manager at 604 795-8201.
Thank you, I appreciate the investigation. I had a request, the city has places a Side by Side Share the Road sign at the start of the overpass… Given that there is dangerous grating, and the lane widths are not wide enough for side by side sharing of the lanes, and that moti encourages cyclists to avoid the recessed areas, could sharrows down the center of the lane, making it clear to cyclists and drivers that cyclists can, and should, ride away from the unsafe edge of the overpass?
Hi Jim,
By sharrows we assume you mean arrows indicating that cyclists should use the centre of the lane while travelling over the overpass?
Hello, yes I meant a shared lane marking, also known as a sharrow. According to the Bicycle Facilities design course manual for BC, when a shared lane is less than 4 meters wide (which these lanes are), or 4.3m when the lane is also used by trucks and buses (which these lanes are), then a single file shared use design should be used, rather than side by side. “For single file applications, the marking is placed in the centre of the lane if the lane is less than 4.0 m wide”. A couple of sharrows on the bridge could make it obvious to cyclists where they should be riding so they dont have cars squeezing by, and clarify to drivers that cyclists are allowed to be there. Once over the overpass they can return to the standard side by side shared use designation (on the south west, north east has bike lanes). Also, perhaps some striping painted on the surface to alert users of the drainage grates/recessions… Just a little paint that would help to make this overpass safer until it is replaced. Thanks for your time.
Thanks Jim, we will send your request forward to the local area manager.
Is there a law against a car rental company to rent a vehicle with only one headlight?
Hello Joan,
According to Section 4 of the BC Motor Vehicle Act, titled: Headlamps
4.05 (1) A motor vehicle must be equipped with either one or 2 headlamps mounted on each side of the front of the vehicle and capable of displaying white light.
Hope that this helps.
They did get it done and nicely too.
Please thank them
Thanks
Flemming
I commute on the PatBay Hwy and have written numerous letters to the Ministry asking for better road markings to aid winter driving. The line paint is non-reflective and the cats eyes in place are old and redundant. The fog lines are simply not visible in the rain. Seeing that many of the junctions along the Hwy are currently listed as the most dangerous with the highest incident reports (ie. Sayward and Keating exits) you would think this would prompt safety concerns and action. We need proper reflective high vis paint markings and new cat eyes in place. Does the Ministry know about this issue? Are there any plans to upgrade this section of Hwy 17?
Hi Brad,
Thanks for connecting with us here. We are currently testing a variety of paints to make sure that provincial highways are well marked and safe for all travellers. Here is some more information: http://tranbc.ca/2015/09/25/looking-for-line-painting-that-can-take-a-pounding/#sthash.gPefAXUH.dpbs
Thanks for the reply. Interesting to see TransBC are testing line painting etc… but there are products in use across Europe and have been for the past decade. Can we not use these tried and tested products? Reflective line paint and the use of solid block cats eyes have been around for ages!
Hi Brad,
Unfortunately, recent federal regulation changes mean some of those tried and true products won’t be allowed for use in Canada. Here is some more information on that. http://www.ec.gc.ca/cov-voc/default.asp?lang=En&n=BEE9D2C5-1
There is garbage strewn along Hwy 33 heading west on the north (right) side from Loseth to Springfield and beyond. Are there any plans to clean this up? Spring cleaning?
There are also 5 or 6 garbage bags dumped at a couple of locations. A community eyesore! These should be picked up and examined to try and identify and charge the slob.
Hi Lem,
Sounds like you’ve been in touch with the district. This is actually a municipal issue as it is in a location with curb, gutter and sidewalk and the City is responsible for maintenance of these areas. The Province’s maintenance contractor is responsible where there is open ditches. Hope that clarifies the issue.
The Tunkwa Lake road from Logan Lake to boundary with Interior Road work at Tunkwa Lake Park turnoff have more than 100 potholes in it, some big enough to damage a small car. VSA filled 2 holes a while ago and since then nothing has been done.
The potholes are impossible to see in the dark and are a safety concern. They will be really bad when we start to get freezing temperatures, the holes are likely to double in size and cause accidents. So please get VSA to fix them!!!!
Hi Flemming,
We have sent your comment forward to the local area manager. Thank you for connecting with us here – we will let you know when we hear back with more information.
Good morning Flemming,
We spoke with the Road Area Manager for Tunkwa Road and he informed us that they are aware of the potholes and our maintenance contractor has been working on filling them this past week, with the focus on finishing by the end of the month. He will be following up on their work to ensure all the holes have been addressed. Hope this information helps, please let us know if you have any other questions.
Good morning.
Yes they have been filling the potholes, still about
20 left last I went to Tunkwa. I will check in a few days.
I also see they have been filling potholes on the Mamette lake
road from Logan Lake to Merritt, that was also badly needed!
Thanks
Flemming
Glad to hear this, thanks Flemming.
On October 9th I was travelling the Coquihalla Hwy from Kamloops to Kelowna and was dumbfounded to find the Merritt rest area closed at 8:45 p.m. The highway was very busy and I saw several vehicles drive up to the gate that had a large “Washrooms Closed” sign, turn around and park on the side of the access road so their families could urinate. I’m looking for an explanation of why the main rest area on one of our major interior highways would be closed, especially on a busy holiday weekend.
Hi Don,
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have shared your comment forward with the local area manager for follow up.
Hello again Don,
We spoke with the local area manager who told us that this rest area is a part of the Merritt Tourist Info Centre and they assign their own hours of operation. (Alternatively you can enter the City of Merritt for full facilities if you prefer when this main tourist center is closed.) Here is the Merritt Tourist Info Centre contact information, should you wish to follow up with them directly. http://www.hellobc.com/visitorcentrelisting/4548123/british-columbia-visitor-centre-@-merritt.aspx
We also want to let you know that there are pit toilet washrooms available at 3 locations along this route that are maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure – at brake check or chain up areas. We are currently testing soils and water availability at two locations between Kamloops and Kelowna where full washroom facilities are being considered for construction in the coming years. Hope that this helps!
I can understand the MV Osprey being out of service for a couple of weeks leaving the MV Balfour to service the Balfour/Kootenay Bay ferry crossing. But since the capacity is at half during that time, should logging and other transport trucks be allowed to take up most of it during peak times? Why not restrict them to highways only during that time, given we are on winter schedule and there aren’t enough crossings to facilitate the demand?
I also don’t understand why logging trucks are transporting in both directions and allowed to use the ferries to do it.
Hello Catherine,
Thank you for connecting with us here. We have shared your comment forward directly with the area manager and will let you know when we hear back.
Hello again Catherine,
Here is the response from our area manager:
Thank you for your enquiry Catherine. The ferries are an extension of our highway system, meaning that we do not restrict one form of vehicle over another. If a vehicle is legally registered, licenced and insured, it can operate on our public road system and our ferry system. Having said that, we certainly understand the inconvenience to the travelling public when our ferries are out of service. That’s why we encourage motorists to use DriveBC as your information source for planning your route. The DriveBC link is highly interactive and provides loads of information from current and planned closures to weather forecasts, web cams, seasonal messages, planning your route and a whole lot more. You can also subscribe to receive updates via emails, tweets or RSS feeds from the main page of the DriveBC link.
Hope that this helps!
Hello, Fraser Hwy between Aldergrove (Station Rd) and Mt Lehman Rd in Abbotsford has bike lanes on both sides of the road. I drive that stretch of road multiple times a day (local commercial vehicle driver), and I see multiple times a day people driving in the bicycle lane. Not entirely as if they think it is their lane, but up to 2/3rds of their vehicle is in the bike lane over the white line separating it from the edge of their own travel lane. This does happen with commercial vehicles, but it is far more common with small passenger cars, that have almost twice their vehicle width to travel in their own lane, but still cannot manage to do so, whether through inattention or lack of skill I do not know. I know it’s uncommon on non freeway roads, but I would like to request that the province have edge line rumblestrips installed along the white line between the car land and the bike lane. This is a high speed, high volume road, and a cyclist is going to get run over and killed here. Further, I would like to request that when the province eventually widens this stretch of Fraser Hwy to 4 lanes, that the standard bike lane be replaced by a cycle track (aka protected bike lane). I think the rumble strips may work as a stop gap measure for now and alert drivers they are leaving their lane boundaries. This is badly needed.
Hi Jim,
Thanks for connecting with us regarding your concern. We will most definitely share your comment forward with the local area manager. Stay tuned.