The final stages of the Seal Coat placement and sweeping of kilometre 36 to kilometre 49 is underway, meaning that crews will be moving the Bamfield Main Road closure to start the next section of chip sealing Bamfield Main towards Bamfield.
As of 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 8, the detour between kilometre 36 and kilometre 49 will be removed and will start at kilometre 49 to kilometre 63.
The construction of kilometres 49 to 63 on Bamfield Main Road will be closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles and is expected to remain this way for approximately two weeks.
Traffic control will be up in sections between kilometres 36 and 49 for the final sweeping of sections and moving along with the work. Expect minor delays.
A reminder that between kilometres 36 to 49, the chip sealed road will be very dusty and have loose gravel at first. The crews are sweeping the chip sealed road to remove as much dust and loose gravel as possible. Please follow and obey the speed limit displayed on the Bamfield Main at all times.
Marked Road Closures on the Bamfield Main are subject to ALL TRAFFIC.
The road closure at 36 – 49 km has experienced traffic going around the barricades and trying to travel through the construction zone where crews are actively chip sealing the road.
This is an extremely dangerous act to do and we kindly ask all traffic to obey the road signs and barricades. Not only does this put everyone in danger, but it causes more work and delay for crews to complete their work chip sealing the Bamfield Main.
Chip Seal Status
36 – 49 kilometres is nearly complete with chip seal. The chip seals needs two days to set and before opening, the crews will clean and sweep the road to remove as much dust and loose rock as possible.
Once the road opens in the coming week at kilometre 36-49, it is open for all traffic. At first, the road will be very dusty and have loose gravel. Please follow and obey the speed limit displayed on the Bamfield Main at all times.
Please watch out for our next road update later this week or early next week.
The Bamfield Main detour for Chip Seal construction will change and relocate to kilometre 49, with traffic being detoured through North Central Main to kilometre 68 starting Monday, August 8.
Industrial traffic will be allowed through the work zone kilometres 49 to 63. However, traffic will be alternating, and delays could be up to 15 minutes.
A reminder to all crews going through the work site, the speed limit is 20 kilometres per hour through the entirety of the zone with no sharp turning on the seal coat. Please use four-wheel drive, as well. These items are necessary to ensure a safe work site and not cause damage to the road base before or after seal coating.
Important:
The speed when driving on the Bamfield Main Road should not exceed 60 km per hour, and drivers are recommended to slow down in bad weather conditions and required to slow down when construction equipment, flaggers, and crews are on the road. The RCMP will be monitoring for safe driving throughout the project and detour.
The Bamfield Main is very dusty during the hot weather conditions. Please drive with your headlights on and drive with extreme caution. The Bamfield Main has lots of wash board, please be prepared for your travels.
The crews working on the Bamfield Road Reconciliation Project have started the final phase of chip sealing the Bamfield Main, starting at kilometre 36 working towards Bamfield.
Check out these videos provided by Darren Hiller, Construction Manager for the project.
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – JULY 21, 2023– Huu-ay-aht First Nations announces that the chip seal coat work on the Bamfield Main will begin on July 22, 2023. The final phase of the Bamfield Main Road Surfacing Project is possible with the continued support and partnership with the Province.
The project started almost three years ago when the two governments partnered to create a safe route along Bamfield Road.
The Provincial Government and Huu-ay-aht collectively identify this project as “The Bamfield Road Reconciliation Project”. These two governments worked together to launch the project with a shared vision of a safer route between Bamfield and Port Alberni. That act of reconciliation is why this project is where it is today.
The project’s final phase will begin mid-July and be completed by the end of early Fall of 2023. Work will begin at kilometre 36 to 76.6, working towards Bamfield. Then, seal coating will begin on kilometres 36 to 0, working towards Port Alberni.
During construction, detours, delays, and alternating single-lane traffic with pilot vehicles will be in place. Please watch for notices regarding detours, delays, and alternating single-lane traffic on the Huu-ay-aht and Western Forest Products web pages.
Quotes
“We are excited for the final stages of the road improvement to be complete. The road improvements will provide safety for Huu-ay-aht citizens, the Bamfield community, and visitors, and that is one of our main priorities. With the economic benefits this will bring to the region, we look forward to building a sustainable economy for our Nation.”
– Huu-ay-aht Executive Councillor, Wiiheyakchikk, Brad Johnson
“This is a vital roadway on the west coast of Vancouver Island, connecting residents of several coastal communities. I commend Huu-ay-aht First Nations for their steadfast commitment and continued progress on such a large-scale project. This project will ensure Bamfield Main is a safe route for everyone.”
-B.C. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin
