Daytime road closures returning to highway to Tofino, Ucluelet for the rest of fall

The Highway 4 Kennedy Hill project is pictured on June 15, 2022. (Province of B.C./Flickr)

Another batch of road closure are coming to Highway 4 between Port Alberni and the coastal Vancouver Island communities of Tofino and Ucluelet, B.C.

Hourly closures are set to begin on Sept. 20, and continue "through the fall" until the Kennedy Hill Improvement Project is "substantially complete."

The hourly closures will occur daily from 5 a.m. until 3 p.m., and from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. At the top of each hour, vehicles will have a brief window to flow through.

"Hourly closures will provide crews with up to 45-minute work windows throughout the day, speeding up work on road profile blasting, rock and slope stabilization, foundation building for cantilever structures and other work," said the province in a release Friday.

Between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., the highway will be open to single-lane alternating traffic.

Night closures are also scheduled to take place every day from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. During these overnight closures, traffic will be released just once at 2 a.m.

The province is warning of three full overnight closures, however, when no cars will be released at all from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., on Sept. 21, Sept. 22 and Sept. 23.

Emergency vehicles will still be able to pass during these three days of full overnight closures.

"Travellers are asked to plan ahead and to follow construction signs and directions from traffic-control personnel," said the province.

(Province of B.C.)

NEARLY FINISHED

The Kennedy Hill Improvement Project is expected to be "substantially complete" in the fall, with finishing touches continuing into the winter.

"Once complete, the project will create a safer, more reliable connection between Port Alberni and the west coast of Vancouver Island," said the province Friday.

The roadwork was originally scheduled to complete in summer 2020 at a cost of $38.1-million.

The timeline has since extended to this winter with an estimated cost of $ 53.96-million.

The pandemic, blasting complications and "increased environmental protections" are being blamed for the delay and increased project cost, according to the province.

For daily updates on traffic and construction conditions in the project zone, travellers can call 1-855-451-7152.