Sooke residents say 'out-of-control' traffic congestion on the rise
A two-kilometre stretch of Highway 14 between Langford and Sooke, B.C., has been under construction for nearly two years.
Construction on the stretch of highway was supposed to be completed this summer, but that deadline has now passed.
On Monday, CTV News asked the province how far behind the project was and if it was still on budget. As of Tuesday afternoon, the B.C. government still hadn’t responded to our questions.
David Evans, owner of the Stick In The Mud Coffee House and Specialty Roaster in Sooke, says the highway construction, coupled with increased interest in communities along the island's western coast, has led to high traffic volumes.
"Congestion is at a point that I have never seen before," he said Tuesday. "It is really bad."
Long-time Sooke resident Leo Kreeft, who was at the café Tuesday, called traffic levels "out of control and stupid."
It's part of a problem that's been brewing in the community for the past five years.
Sooke’s population is growing and cheaper real estate has meant many have made the choice to move to the small community.
Now a new problem has developed, stemming from an increase in commuters.
"Actually, I drove the road yesterday at around 4:30 in the afternoon and traffic was backed up probably 12 or 13 kilometres," said Evans. "All the way to the four lanes."
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
Mike Menard, president of the Sooke Chamber of Commerce, says something more needs to be done before the problem gets worse.
"We’re having a hard time getting our people in and out of town because we only have one roadway that accommodates many communities up the line," he said.
He’s calling for a bypass to be built around Sooke.
"A bypass around the centre core of the city would facilitate a lot of the big trucks, a lot of the commuters through Sooke," said Menard.
Kreeft likes the idea but does have some concerns.
"Well a bypass is great, if they could do it sustainably," said the long-time Sooke resident. "You know, not to impede onto our forests and our waters."
Another idea being floated by the owner of the coffee house to relieve traffic congestion through Sooke is better transit.
"I think there are other solutions that should be looked at first," said Evans. "Maybe a dedicated transit lane, maybe express busses right to downtown Victoria, not just to Langford."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.