The B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is warning travellers of busy traffic along the Malahat highway (Highway 1) over the Labour Day long weekend.
From Friday through Monday of the long weekend, the province expects more than 120,000 vehicles to traverse the Malahat corridor.
Drivers are encouraged to avoid peak travel times on the highway, which generally occurs in the afternoon.
Commuters should consider leaving early in the morning or in the evening to avoid the peak travel times, according to the province.
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The ministry of transportation adds that it will suspend construction along the highway to help ease traffic congestion during the long weekend.
From noon Friday until 7 a.m. Tuesday the province will pause construction along the Tunnel Hill project site.
“Travellers should plan their journeys with extra time to reach their destinations and be prepared by packing extra water, food and supplies for passengers and pets,” said the province in a release.
ICBC is also encouraging drivers to be safe over the long weekend and to avoid phones or other distractions.
The company says drivers are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in a crash if they are using their phone while driving, and distracted driving results in 77 fatal crashes each year – 10 of which occur on Vancouver Island.
ICBC adds that police will be increasing traffic enforcement across the province over the long weekend, as well as throughout the month of September.
On average, B.C. sees 1,994 crashes over the Labour Day long weekend, including 299 on Vancouver Island, which results in 69 injuries on the Island.
As for the Malahat, the province has outlined the busiest traffic times on the mountain highway, based on historic travel volumes during summer long weekends, which can be found below:
Northbound:
- Thursday: from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Friday: from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., with 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. the heaviest
- Saturday: from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Southbound:
- Sunday: from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Holiday Monday: from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., with 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. the heaviest
Adam Chan
