Repairs to Hwy. 19 north of Nanaimo continue with extensive traffic backups aggravating motorists. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

HIGHWAY HEADACHES

UPDATE: Hwy. 19 set for Saturday evening re-opening as repairs continue on sinkhole damage

Nov 19, 2021 | 4:00 PM

UPDATE — Drive BC has said Hwy. 19 will re-open to traffic on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. It did not state whether it would be single lane or a full re-opening.

The road remains closed, with all vehicles being detoured down Lantzville Rd. to Superior Rd.

EARLIER NANAIMO — It will be a while before traffic is moving freely again on Hwy. 19.

The Island Hwy. closed early Thursday, Nov. 18 after a sinkhole opened up in the northbound lanes. Travel between Parksville and Nanaimo has taken upwards of three and a half hours on Friday.

No update on the situation was provided during a briefing with Emergency Management BC Friday afternoon. Crews have spent the day further digging out the site, repairing culverts.

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In an email to NanaimoNewsNOW on Friday morning, the ministry of transportation confirmed repair work continues at the site.

“The ministry has completed its assessment…and has begun work to install new culverts. Equipment and materials have been mobilized to the site and excavation is currently underway.”

A follow up Friday evening was unable to provide any timeline for traffic re-opening, or repairs to be completed.

Hwy. 19 remains closed in both directions between Superior Rd. and Lantzville Rd. The next update is expected from Drive BC at 8 p.m.

Vehicles continue to be routed down Lantzville Rd. to get around the closure, however the pure volume of cars funnelling into a single lane is causing an endless line of cars.

Crews are recommending anyone not absolutely needing to travel on Hwy. 19 to stay at home.

Northbound traffic was considerably less delayed throughout much of the day with vehicles backed up to around Ware Rd.

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