Ash Road is slated to receive a slew of upgrades this fall including a new concrete roadside barrier and a realigned centre-line.
The wooden barrier along Ash Road at Douglas Creek was damaged in 2018 after a motorist struck it, though it was already slated to be upgraded to a concrete barrier, said Saanich spokesperson Adam Flint.
READ ALSO: Group calls Ash Road a Saanich bypass and a ‘free for all’
The district plans to implement several changes including widening the roadway, replacing the wooden barrier with a concrete barrier, realigning the centre line to create 3.2 metre lanes across Douglas Creek and adding new signage to the area, he said.
... This will include replacing what's left of the old barrier with a concrete one and realignment of the centre line.
— Friends of Mount Douglas Park (@MountDougPark) October 28, 2020
Darrell Wick, president of the Friends of Mount Douglas Park Society, hopes the upgrades will make the area safer for all road users – specifically cyclists for whom the area had been dangerous.
“I’m scared when I go through there,” he said, noting that the westbound lane is just wide enough that some drivers attempt to pass cyclists which has resulted in some close calls.
READ ALSO: Court hears letter from driver convicted of hitting Saanich girl
Wick pointed out that while the improvements at Douglas Creek “won’t fix all the Ash Road problems but will make it a little bit better.”
Weather permitting, Saanich crews will begin installing the upgrades in late November.
@devonscarlett
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.