UPDATE: An email from Mainroad communications, sent Monday evening: “This is to advise Mainroad’s Paving Work project on Northwest Bay Road, Nanoose Bay postponed until further notice.” - will be updated
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Some Nanoose Bay residents are having a tough time leaving their homes on Monday.
A City of Parksville closure on Northwest Bay Road’s north end at Craig Bay is being compounded with single-lane alternating traffic due to paving by the province on the south end near Rusted Rake Farm.
The combination of work by two different jurisdictions is causing a headache for commuters.
Residents report waiting 30 minutes or more to drive out of Nanoose Bay on Monday morning.
One resident left a complaint with The NEWS via voicemail, saying “there was at least five kilometres of traffic I sat in for a half-hour and moved approximately 50 feet.”
Paving work on the south end is being undertaken by Mainroad Mid-Island Contracting LP. According to a post on their Twitter account, paving work will be taking place daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Friday, Aug. 23.
Minor delays expected as Mainroad Mid #VanIsle crews perform paving work on Northwest Bay Rd in #NanooseBay daily 7AM-5PM thru Fri Aug23. Single lane alt traffic. Drivers pls slow down for roadside workers & obey signs/traffic control. #ConeZoneBC @1023TheWave @1069thewolf pic.twitter.com/UpChlmVYDg
— Mainroad Mid Island Contracting LP (@MainroadMIsland) August 19, 2019
The company is trying to ease traffic in the wake of citizen complaints and long delays.
In an email release from Mainroad on Monday, the company says they will move their paving operations to the north end of Northwest Bay Road, near the current closure, in hopes of alleviating traffic.
However, residents should still be braced for traffic stretching into September.
Paving by Mainroad is estimated to continue until Aug. 23. Following the paving, Mainroad’s crack sealing crews will be working on the entire length of the road during the week of Aug. 26-30.
The City of Parksville recently extended the closure of Northwest Bay Road at Gabriola Drive until 7 a.m. on Aug. 20, citing the late delivery of the watermain bypass piping.
Once the road re-opens for traffic on the north end, the city is planning for single-lane alternating traffic on Northwest Bay Road from Aug. 20 until Sept. 16. Delays are expected.