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Radium roundabout work beginning in June
Work will soon begin at the intersection of Highways 93 and 95 in Radium Hot Springs to replace the existing four-way stop with a roundabout.
“We are making historic investments in good projects that create jobs in the short term and help communities such as Radium Hot Springs build safer and more efficient roadways,” said Catherine McKenna, federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. “We are pleased to see this important project get underway as soon as possible and look forward to continue working together to build a better, more prosperous and more resilient British Columbia and Canada.”
Several times a year – particularly on long weekends and during the summer – this junction experiences high traffic volumes, resulting in lengthy delays and queues in excess of two kilometres. Replacing the four-way stop with a new roundabout will help keep traffic moving more efficiently and will cut down on delays.
The intersection sees more than 9,000 vehicles daily, increasing to more than 14,000 every day during summer months.
“BC’s Restart Plan is the first in a series of steps that we will take together to protect people and ensure that our province can come back from COVID-19 stronger than before,” said Claire Trevena, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “This includes good construction-based jobs for people and investing in key projects that will help stimulate economic recovery for British Columbia. We are moving forward with several important highway projects this summer, including this roundabout for Radium, which will improve safety and prevent delays during the usually busy summer months.”
The $11.9 million project is expected to get underway in June, and the project is slated for completion by the end of 2020. A contract for the construction has been awarded to Copcan Civil Ltd. of Nanaimo. During construction, every effort will be made to minimize disruption and impacts to local traffic, and updates will be provided via DriveBC.
Businesses will remain pedestrian and vehicle accessible throughout project construction, either through existing or temporary access ways.
B.C.’s provincial health officer has directed construction employers to take all necessary precautions to minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission and illness to themselves and their employees. This includes ensuring workers maintain physical distance with a minimum of two metres apart from each other, both in the course of their duties as well as during breaks. Anyone exhibiting COVID-19 like symptoms will be directed to self-isolate at home for at least 10 days.
This project is cost shared. The federal contribution of up to $4.8 million is part of a $17.9-million suite of projects under the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component-National and Regional Projects. The B.C. government is providing $7.1 million toward this intersection improvement.
An open house and online engagement were held in September 2019, giving people an opportunity to provide input on the project.
Resurfacing projects are also getting underway between Brisco and Radium, before the long anticipated start of the Kicking Horse Canyon Project on Highway 1, which will force a detour through Kootenay National Park to Radium and then north up Highway 95 to Golden.
View a Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure video rendering of the roundabout project.
Lead image: The Highway 93 and 95 junction in Radium is a busy place during peak tourist seasons. Ian Cobb/e-KNOW file photos
