Expansion of British Columbia Highway System

SURNAME 1
Name of Student:
Name of Professor:
Course Title:
Date of Submission:
Word Count: 1458
Expansion of British Columbia Highway System
Ministry of transport and infrastructure has accomplished many goals in the development
of British Columbia highway system for decades. However, setting up a completely relieable
transport system for the good of the people has been one of the critical drives of this ministry..
Notably, the department has always been consistent in building a highway system that will
always be competitive, safe, reliable as well as efficient to every activity involving transportation
for businesses along with families across British Columbia. The expansion of the British
Columbia highway system involves many aspects of consideration including a series of
investments, but it can be better understood by looking into the expansion projects at Highway
16, TransCanada Highway, the Kicking Horse Canyon Project, and Okanagan Valley Corridor.
History of Road Expansion
British Columbia's significant expansion in highway investments began in the 1950s. The
extensions had remarkable economic impacts to the economy of British Columbia. Moreover, it
positively impacted population growth and living standards towards the late 20th century (Gillen
178). However, at the beginning of the 21st century, new concerns were coming up. Most of the
interests were to expand on the highway system because it would impact British Columbia’s
development and sustainability. The expansion of the province’s highway system was pivotal to

SURNAME 2
making Vancouver become a primary gateway to and from Asia's market. Furthermore, the
issues of traffic volumes had been increasing in areas like Victoria region and Lower Mainland.
British Columbia serves as Canada’s national interest because it acts like its Pacific
Gateway. It is for this reason that the Canadian government have also taken an interest in
contributing to the development of the British Columbia highway system. Besides, the British
Columbia highway system is a vital link for Canada’s international and intercontinental trade
route. Both industry and government partners play a crucial role in the expansion of the British
Columbia highway system (Gillen 179). Further, the seriousness of the alliance to improve
British Columbia transport system can be seen from the formation of the Pacific Gateway.
The expansion of the British Columbia highway system is foreseen by a collaboration of
government agencies and transportation service providers that have come out to oversee these
projects. According to Laurence (45), the expansion project is approximated for being more than
22 billion dollars investment for the development of airports infrastructure, rails, and ports as
part of the highway project. The alliance is ensuring the success of this project by working
together. Such is meant to ensure that they take advantage of British Columbia’s strategic
position by integrating, coordinating and using a strategic approach in carrying out this highway
infrastructure development.
British Columbia is interested in expanding its highway system to secure its connections
with existing and emerging economic world powers. Furthermore, such expositions of its
highway system have helped with its market expansions which arise from its strengthened
provincial infrastructure. Development of British Columbia highway system is a privilege
because it acts as a gateway for Asia Pacific trade which in turn offer a competitive supply chain
to America’s west coast.

SURNAME 3
Table 1: Table indicating the rise in the number of passengers linked to highway expansion
projects (Konrad 122)
Highway 16
The government of British Columbia and Canada have played a remarkable contribution
to the expansion of Highway 16. It is notable that the funding for this project summed to 23
million dollars. Extension of this highway was expected to cover a 3.4 kilometers stretch
(Schlotfeldt et al. 89).In addition, the expansion of the Highway 16 was to be modified to
incorporate two more lanes making it a four-lane highway. The significant intentions of this
project were to improve on-road safety which had been a problem for many years because of the
increased accidents. British Columbia Highway 16 expansion was to begin from Bunce Road and
stretch east to Jensen Road. British Columbia government, especially the ministry of transport
and infrastructure showed that they had the public interest in this highway expansion. Apart from
road safety, increasing road efficiency was also part of this expansion since it would reduce
congestion (Schlotfeldt et al. 89). Four lanes meant that the number of vehicles going through
Highway 16 would be evenly spread because of more space. The development of the Highway
16 project also involved other upgrades for the road to the intersections at Blackwater and Sykes
road along with Haldi Lake Road and Buckingham Road.