A section of Hwy. 4 between Port Alberni and Tofino/Ucluelet will continue to see closures as crews work on upgrading the grading and surface of the road. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

HIGHWAY UPGRADES

Spot closures scheduled as work continues to upgrade Hwy. 4

May 27, 2021 | 9:42 AM

NANAIMO — Further closures of the only road in and out of Vancouver Island’s west coast are planned.

Crews on site shut down Hwy. 4 at Kennedy Hill, west of Tofino and Ucluelet, for 10 hours at a time through late April and into May to allow for substantial blasting work along the 1.5 kilometre stretch of road.

While no further full-day closures to Hwy. 4 are required, the road will continue to see regular closures on weekdays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. through June.

Further scheduled closures are planned for the busy summer months, however they have not been announced by the province.

The project has seen substantial delays since it began in 2018.

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Originally set for completion in mid-2020, a major rockslide in late January shuttered the road and severed access to the west coast for several days.

Shortage of gas and groceries stemmed from the closure, with crews hurridly installing a temporary bridge to allow small vehicle traffic in and out of the communities, while they cleared the main road to open up commercial traffic.

Both the provincial and federal governments have committed $38.1 million for the upgrades to Kennedy Hill.

Once complete, the 1.5 kilometres of highway will have a new rest area and wider shoulders on the road, allowing more space for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.

No updated completion date for the project is available.

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