Heads up commuters travelling the Trans Canada Highway through View Royal!
The BC Government just issued a media release stating major construction is now underway on a new stretch of bus-only lanes along Highway 1 between the McKenzie and Colwood interchanges.
The new lanes are aimed at easing congestion and improving transit reliability for commuters between downtown Victoria and the West Shore area.
The project, which began preliminary tree-clearing work in March, has now entered its full construction phase. The BC governement said these dedicated “bus-on-shoulder” lanes are part of the broader plan to develop a rapid transit corridor for BC Transit’s RapidBus program.
“This work will provide BC Transit commuters with an easier trip between work and home,” the release states. “It will ensure a continuous, reliable and functional rapid bus experience.”
The new lanes will cover 3.7 kilometres of westbound shoulder and 3.1 kilometres of eastbound shoulder along Highway 1. Ramps will also be widened to prioritize bus access at interchanges, and upgraded stops will be installed at Helmcken.
Commuters should expect daytime lane shifts and overnight closures of the Burnside Road on-ramp and Helmcken overpass between 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. The Galloping Goose Trail may also see short closures between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Signage will be posted on site and online for updates.
A key feature of the project is a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge over Craigflower Creek, which will improve safety and accessibility along the Galloping Goose Trail. Other upgrades include new roadside barriers, realignments to Portage Road, and environmental restoration work.
The $95 million project is jointly funded, with $67 million coming from the Government of British Columbia and $28 million from the federal government through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream.
The new infrastructure is expected to improve travel times by up to 20 per cent—saving commuters up to five minutes in each direction. This adds to the 20-minute savings already achieved by previous bus lane additions between downtown Victoria and Tillicum Road.
The project is scheduled to be completed by late fall 2027.
Once finished, it will create a continuous system of transit-only lanes stretching from downtown Victoria to the Colwood transit exchange, offering faster, more frequent, and more accessible transit service for the growing region.
