Repairs to the Malahat about one kilometre north of Finlayson Arm Road are set to be completed by the fall, after the stretch of road was damaged by heavy rain and flooding in November 2021.
The $24-million project to fix damage in the area known as Tunnel Hill was originally planned for completion this month.
The final $14.9-million phase began last summer and is in the hands of Nanaimo’s Windley Contracting Ltd.
Janelle Staite, the Ministry of Transportation’s deputy director for the south coast region, said 50 metres of the northbound lane were lost as a result of the November 2021 storm. A culvert outlet was also damaged, and portions of a retaining wall were compromised.
Staite said 84 piles were required to create a new retaining wall that will hold the road in place permanently and allow restoration of the shoulder. The piles are being fortified with steel casing, she said.
“Although it looks from the road like a fairly short segment, the topography drops down fairly significantly towards the water and it required some major piling efforts,” Staite said.
The resulting retaining wall will be 80 metres long and secure the slope. Drainage has been improved to help deal with future extreme-weather events.
Staite said putting the piles in took longer than expected, pushing back the completion date.
There is a 60 km/h speed limit in the construction area that’s enforced 24/7, she said, noting most drivers are complying. “It just helps ensure not only the safety of the travellers through the site but the safety of the contractors working on the site.”
Fines in construction zones include $196 to $253 for speeding, $196 for disobeying a flag person and $121 for disobeying a traffic-control device.
There is still a chance of minor traffic delays related to the project, but they are likely to happen only outside of peak travel times, she said.
Any recent traffic slowdowns on the Malahat have been related to higher spring traffic volume, not the Tunnel Hill project, Staite said.
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