Drivers on Highway 14 now have two lanes in both directions between Connie Road and Glinz Lake Road, as a three-year project to take out dangerous curves on the route to Sooke nears completion.
The Transportation Ministry said Friday that all lanes of Highway 14 were open by midday, with the posted speed limit restored to its previous 60 km/h, up from a construction speed limit of 50 km/h.
New median barriers and paint lines are also in place, and bus stops and a new 45-stall park-and-ride are open.
Sooke Chamber of Commerce president Mike Menard drove through the area Friday and called the work that’s been done “amazing.”
“Definitely it’s going to improve the flow and movement and traffic in and out of Sooke, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “It’s an asset to the community.
“And it’s part, most likely, of a broader expansion in the future, I would imagine.”
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait also had praise for the completion of the lanes.
“It’s just wonderful to see the work conclude, and I just want to thank the province for their investment in our highway and improvements to safety.”
The Highway 14 improvement project, which included 11 kilometres of paving and road-shoulder construction between Otter Point Road and Woodhaven Road, cost $85.7 million, with the federal government contributing up to $30.2 million and the province the remaining $55.5 million.
The remainder of the improvements are expected to be complete in the coming weeks.
