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Malahat improvements finished early

$15 million project: more than half this highway stretch now divided by concrete medians
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A flagger guides traffic on the Malahat during safety improvement construction near Shawnigan Lake Road on April 10

The provincial Transportation and Infrastructure Ministry paused for a moment to celebrate at Cowichan's southern peak yesterday.

In a media event staged at the Malahat summit, Transportation Minister Todd Stone marked the conclusion of a $15 million project aimed at improving driver safety.

"Safety on our highways is our number one priority, and the risk of collisions involving vehicles crossing the centreline on the Malahat are a significant concern for my ministry," Stone said.

"The addition of median barrier and other safety improvements will help prevent collisions and improve safety and reliability on this section of Highway 1 for all motorists."

The Malahat Safety Improvement Project — which involved widening 2.3 kilometres of Highway 1 from Shawnigan Lake Road to the summit to accommodate a new median barrier — finished ahead of schedule.

Medians now divide more than half the Malahat Drive, as part of a $33 million investment in safety improvements made by the Liberal government, the ministry stated.

The Malahat Summit rest area is now re-opened, featuring additional parking and lighting, as well as a northbound acceleration lane leaving the rest area.

More than 22,000 drivers use this highway every day.