West Saanich Road Southbound Lane Repairs

The District of North Saanich is advising residents of ongoing work along approximately 400 metres of the southbound lane on West Saanich Road, where failing asphalt is being repaired due to poor subbase conditions.

This project was tendered in the summer, approved by Council, and formally awarded to the contractor in early fall. Work was delayed due to the need for additional archaeological permitting, which required adjusting the work limits to avoid registered archaeological sites. Road excavation has been completed.

Since late November, the contractor has been monitoring for suitable paving conditions. Consecutive dry weather days are required to prepare and pave the lane, but the unusually heavy and persistent rainfall in recent weeks has prevented paving from moving ahead. Construction and paving work often continue into December on the South Island; however, the current weather remains a limiting factor.

While waiting for an appropriate paving window, the contractor is:

• Maintaining the gravel surface with twice-daily pothole filling and compaction during work hours.
• Working closely with Island Asphalt to mobilize as soon as conditions allow.

We recognize this temporary gravel surface is challenging for regular road users, and traffic volume in the southbound lane can make daily maintenance more difficult. If you can avoid southbound travel through this section of West Saanich Road, it will help keep the roadway safer for those who must travel the route and support a quicker reinstatement once paving can occur. A detour using Mills Road and McTavish Road adds approximately 7 minutes to southbound travel.

Thank you for your patience as we work to complete this necessary infrastructure repair safely and as quickly as weather conditions permit.