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Whistler council to hear options for safety, capacity improvements on Highway 99

MOTI-commissioned report presents potential highway upgrades through Whistler
Braden Dupuis
Braden Dupuis
2020-10-20_regular_package (dragged)-page-001
An overhead rendering of one potential Highway 99 improvement at Lorimer Road identified by a recent report commissioned by the province. Image courtesy of the RMOW.

Whistler council will consider a provincial review of local safety and capacity issues on Highway 99 at its Oct. 20 meeting.

The review—conducted by McElhanney Ltd. at the expense of the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI)—lays out short-, medium- and long-term options for highway improvements.

The study considered options like a dual westbound left turning lane at Lorimer Road (shorter-term); counterflow lanes that could shift north or south depending on traffic volumes (medium); two southbound lanes from Taylor Way to Bayshore Drive, or Alpha Lake Road (medium); or two southbound lanes from Lorimer to Alpha Lake Road (long-term).

Cost estimates for the various options range from about $405,000 for the dual left turning lane at Lorimer to more than $60 million for a full twinning of the highway in Whistler.

After evaluating the options based on cost, safety, traffic operations, driver experience, environmental impact and more, McElhanney recommended the improvements at Lorimer be considered, and that southbound lanes from Taylor Way to Alpha Lake Road are also viable, subject to funding.

“It is recommended that MOTI conduct additional analysis and design to determine the most appropriate medium-term option,” the reports states, adding that MOTI should also further study the feasibility of the long-term option.

Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) staff are currently in discussions with MOTI about pedestrian safety upgrades at four key locations along Highway 99, according to a staff report to council: Whistler Road (through to Whistler Creekside); Meadow Lane; Autumn Drive/Emerald Drive; and Route 10-Valley Express bus stops.

Also on the Oct. 20 agenda: updates from the RMOW’s COVID-19 recovery and social services working groups; a development permit application for a Whistler Sport Legacies employee housing building in Cheakamus; an Official Community Plan mapping amendment related to a controversial housing project in Nordic; amendments to the five-year financial plan bylaw and more—find the full agenda and a link to tune in live at https://www.whistler.ca/municipal-gov/council/meeting-agendas-and-minutes.

Pick up Thursday’s Pique for more from council.