Crews have begun work on $9.1 million in road improvements in the Sooke area.
The work on Highway 14, also known as Sooke Road, is a partnership between the Ministry of Transportation and the District of Sooke, with the latter contributing $3.1 million toward a roundabout in the town centre at the intersection of Highway 14 and Brownsey Boulevard.
The ministry’s involvement in the roundabout was announced in November. It will also fund three resurfacing projects.
One of the projects extends east from Kangaroo Road to the highway’s four-lane section, including widening and paving of the shoulders to serve cyclists. Also planned is paving between Otter Point and Church roads — along with intersection upgrades — and East Sooke Road between Gillespie and Pike roads.
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait said sidewalks will also be added in the centre of town. Bike lanes and underground work are part of the plan, she said.
“This is key infrastructure,” Tait said, noting that there are no sidewalks in Sooke’s core. “Our population has grown and the infrastructure has not kept up with the pace of it all, and so we’ve been wanting to create a town centre for quite some time.
“There’s been significant time and effort spent on planning and land acquisitions and working out with neighbouring properties.”
