Helmcken Road lane to highway closed for now in efforts to ease traffic

Once reconfiguration of the lane is complete, drivers turning right onto the Highway 1 on-ramp will no longer be able to merge freely.

The westbound right-turn lane from Helmcken Road to the northbound lanes of the Trans-Canada Highway is temporarily closed as work continues on the highway’s Bus on Shoulder Project, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit says. “Once complete, drivers turning right onto the Highway 1 on-ramp will no longer be able to merge freely,” the ministry said. “Instead, they will use a dedicated right-turn lane and yield to westbound traffic before entering the onramp.”

The ministry said the change will improve safety “and make traffic movements more predictable.” The right-turn lane from Helmcken Road is expected to reopen by the end of July. During the closure, traffic is being directed to the signalized intersection, where drivers make a right turn next to the traffic island, the ministry said.

The closure allows workers to safely complete the new configuration for the lane and work on the Galloping Goose Trail in the area, the ministry added. The bus stop in the vicinity will be modified to accommodate the new traffic patterns. More broadly, the ongoing highway project is widening a 3.7-kilometre section of highway between the McKenzie interchange and the Colwood interchange to accommodate bus-on-shoulder lanes in both directions.

It is expected to be completed by late fall in 2027. The goal is to help buses avoid highway congestion and make transit an easier and faster option. Total funding for the project is $95 million, with $67 million provided by the province and $28 million from the federal government.

The project includes a new walking/cycling bridge for the Galloping Goose Trail crossing over Craigflower Creek, upgrades to Helmcken Road bus stops, and the addition of sound walls and retaining walls along Portage Road. Rock removal, including drilling and blasting, will continue along the north side of the highway while concrete islands at Helmcken are being replaced. Grading and drainage work along the affected stretch is continuing, and a concrete-block retaining wall is being installed at the on-ramp coming from the Island Highway.

Environmental efforts connected to the project have included planting more than 160 trees in Cuthbert Holmes Park, part of a commitment to replace any trees removed at a three-to-one ratio — which aligns with bylaws in View Royal and Saanich. There will also be restoration work done on a beaver pond near the Galloping Goose Trail bridge.