The northbound exit off the Pat Bay highway onto Keating X Road has always been challenging. It’s the primary access to the Tanner Ridge neighbourhood, the Keating Business Park, Brentwood Bay and world famous Butchart Gardens.
Decades ago the District of Central Saanich first raised the danger of this exit with the province as they were looking to increase safety for residents, business traffic and visitors.
It has been a hot button topic over several local and provincial election cycles.
Increasing safety
The flyover upgrade will negate the need for northbound traffic to dash across the high volume highway. I had the honour of emceeing the announcement event. As I said then, for my entire life my family has “gambled” our way across the highway to get to our home in Brentwood Bay.
This issue came up in the earliest meetings I had with Minister Claire Trevena and many meetings since. I believe this project is important for social, environmental and economic reasons.
Going back to my time on Central Saanich Council (starting in 2008) we worked on a corridor study with our neighbours in Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney and Tsawout First Nation to identify the highest priority upgrades needed on the Pat Bay highway. Keating was high on that list with Sayward crossing (improvement completed) and a pedestrian overpass at Beacon Avenue.
Improving infrastructure
Improving the Keating exit will dramatically improve safety for drivers. I have heard and witnessed too many horrific accidents on this stretch, some of which have resulted in fatalities.
Improving this exit will allow the commercial traffic to flow more smoothly into this important business district. The Keating Business Park is home to dozens of light manufacturing and other job producing businesses that generate hundreds of millions worth of economic activity in the Capital Region. Butchart Gardens is located at the west end (Benvenuto) of Keating X Road. Tens of thousands of people visit the Gardens each year. They employ hundreds of locals and add that on to the thousands of jobs in the vibrant business park and what we have is a vital economic centre for the region.
Improving this exit will help decrease congestion from people idling in the turning lane. It will assist in the flow of traffic in and out of the Central Saanich community. I’m excited to read in the briefing notes that the project will also include improvements for a future rapid bus line on the Pat Bay highway. While I have long advocated for this project I’m even more supportive of a more efficient and convenient mass transit system on the Saanich Peninsula. It’s great to see the province starting to highlight this in their communication materials. This is certainly an issue I will continue to strongly advocate for.
The flyover!
Finally, there are many people to thank for moving this project along over the decades. Thank you to Mayor Ryan Windsor and the current Council and past Mayor’s and Councillor’s (including my former colleagues.) They have all invested in studies, gathering public support and advocating for the upgrade. I raise my hands to the Central Saanich staff and first responders who have persisted in advancing this issue and showing up at the devastating accident scenes.
Thank you to the federal government for stepping up to invest $17 million into the project. And, I want to raise my hands to Minister Trevena! Thank you for meeting with me and the community leaders to hear the importance and understand the priority of this project. I’m thankful for the opportunity to work with with our provincial government to help move this project forward!
While I will personally benefit from this, and it will undoubtedly save lives, I am always a bit saddened whenever any road infrastructure project happens.
Building more roads, bridges, exchanges, etc. always results in more traffic and more development. Always.
I will use the new flyover, and it will save me time and stress, but I will shed a tear whenever I do. And there will be more business growth and less farmland in the Keating district.