PORT MCNEILL, B.C.- Over the last five years, there have been more than 25 accidents at the Campbell Way intersection in Port McNeill.
That’s according to Mayor Shirley Ackland. She said the intersection originally was not straight, when it entered the highway system, so the Ministry of Highways changed that and “crowned the road”, right where the intersection occurs.
“So the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure (Claire Trevena) has looked at that, and has determined that there needs to be a fix in order to protect human life, and to make it easier for people to see traffic as it’s coming – one into the intersection, and as its continuing on Highway 19 through to Port Hardy,” she explained.
Ackland said the community is “extremely relieved” that the safety issues are going to be addressed.
“I do know that the discussion involved making sure there wasn’t a crown on the road, because it actually impedes driver’s vision,” she said.
“As you’re driving from Port Hardy south towards Port McNeill, when you get to that intersection, it’s very difficult to see what traffic is coming up.”
She noted that engineers will be on the North Island by the end of March, or early April, to determine what exact work needs to be done.
“My understanding is that the planning will be happening later this month, early April, and then the resolution, the fix of that, will be happening some time in the late summer or early fall when the paving is all lined up and scheduled to have that happen.”
Ackland said the key benefit is improving visibility, as the route is used very often.
“The fact that the highway comes in to Port McNeill and continues down to the ferry that goes to Sointula and Alert Bay, it is quite a busy access road, so it’s very important that they put the visibility at the top of their priority list.”
