SAFETY
Smoother curves and grades will deliver significantly improved sightlines and more consistent speeds. These before and after shots of Doodson’s corner illustrate the improvements being made smoothing out severe curves along the Sea-to-Sky Highway. With limited sightlines, high accident corners like Doodson’s had 50 Km/h speed advisories before the improvements.
Highly reflective pavement markings (HRPM's) are being installed instead of painted lines. These HRPM's are five times more reflective than traditional highway paint. They provide a significant visibility improvement especially on dark rainy nights. HRPM’s also last much longer and don’t fade like painted lines.
Rumble strips are being installed on the shoulder and centrelines of the highway. Rumble strips have been proven to significantly improve safety by warning drivers that they are wandering out of the driving lanes.
All four-lane sections of the improved Sea-to-Sky Highway will be divided. In total 46 km of median barriers or raised medians will be installed. Where median barriers are not appropriate rumble strips will be installed to separate north and south bound lanes
Upgraded intersections will improve safety and provide improved mobility along the Sea-to-Sky Highway in communities and at major recreation sites like Whistler Olympic Park, Porteau Cove Provincial Park, and Shannon Falls.
More passing lanes will significantly reduce driver frustration by allowing vehicles to pass slower moving traffic. With 80 km of new passing lanes, a safe passing opportunity will be no more than a couple of minutes away. In the past drivers were often stuck behind slow moving vehicles for up to 20 km with no safe place to pass. This led to driver frustration and all too often accidents, as drivers attempted to pass were it was unsafe to do so.
The project has worked closely with policing agencies to provide enhanced enforcement opportunities along the highway. Along with more enforcement locations additional funding is in place to provide increased police enforcement.
Additional chain up areas will provide a safe place for motorists to pull off the highway and install traction devices where needed. These new chain up areas are located based on consultation with the public, policing agencies, transportation professionals and the project’s maintenance contractor. These sites will be well signed so drivers will know it’s safe to pull off the road to chain up when weather conditions warrant their use.
The project is eliminating the level railway crossings at Brandywine and Function Junction. By building overpasses at these locations the alignment of the highway will be significantly straightened at these two high accident crossings. In addition to a safer driving alignment, motorists will no longer have to stop for the passage of trains.
Wider shoulders on the improved Sea-to-Sky Highway will significantly improve safety for cyclists. The 1.5 meter shoulders will also provide improved safety for disabled vehicles and allow snowploughs to get by disabled vehicles.
Enhanced slope reliability is one of the key goals of the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project. Slope management plans have been created for each location on the highway where stability is a concern. Improved rock catchment areas, rock bolting and meshing prevents falling rock from reaching the highway. Regular inspections and rock scaling (removing loose rock) are part of the annual maintenance program for the highway.
New bridges on the highway are being built higher to provide more protection from debris torrents from mountain creeks and river floods. In addition new bridges are illuminated to provide increased safety.
Community gateways and landscaping are part of the context sensitive design of the highway. These features will alert drivers that they are entering a community and should drive with care.
