Crews evaluate the scope of damage on Hwy. 19 after a sinkhole damaged the road in the northbound lanes on Thursday, Nov. 18. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

highway headaches

Top Stories of 2021: Sinkhole slows down Hwy. 19

Dec 20, 2021 | 6:58 PM

NANAIMO — A sinkhole on Hwy. 19 near Lantzville caused some major delays and headaches for mid-Island residents in mid-November.

After a weekend of rain known as an ‘atmospheric river’ pummeled most of the island with more than the monthly average of rain in a few days, roads and infrastructure were pushed to the limit.

Locally, the mid-Island was spared most of the highway washouts which plagued other parts of the province, but we weren’t completely in the clear.

Around 1 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18th, a sinkhole was first reported on Hwy. 19, about 200 metres north of the Superior Rd. intersection.

The situation led to massive delays in both directions, with southbound traffic in gridlock for several kilometers at some points, stretching back to Nanoose Bay and Parksville.

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Crews quickly got to work repairing the sinkhole and installing new culverts.

Northbound vehicles were rerouted at Superior Rd., with southbound traffic detoured at Lantzville Rd. by the Snaw-Nas-As gas station.

There was a bright moment among all the delays.

A baby girl was safely delivered in an ambulance while her parents were trying to make their way to the hospital.

The highway was reopened two days later, but permanent repairs will likely take months, with future closures of the road coming in the near future.

The province said the temporary solution was to install a new culvert across the highway, which restored traffic flow in both directions two days after the sinkhole appeared.

“The ministry is working through the design process on further improvements that are required to ensure the long-term safety of the route.”

However, on Dec. 20, the same section of the highway was again backed up as Drive BC began paving operations in the area.

They said paving will take place from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Dec. 20 and 21, with minor delays in the area continuing until noon on Christmas Eve.

The ministry said further improvements will likely start in the early spring and are anticipated to produce minimal traffic delays, with any impacts on traffic posted to DriveBC.ca.

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