Mid-Island Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne says she is working with BC’s Minister of Transportation to restart discussions about a secondary highway in and out of Port Alberni.
Osborne said she’s received many calls and messages on the issue since the fire at Cameron Lake closed travel on that stretch of highway 4, and believes an alternate connector deserves another look.
“I think what this has shown us is how vulnerable we can be when we have one way of transportation getting in and out,” she said. “We know that we depend on that road. There is a critical need for alternative travel when we have emergencies like this, whether it’s flights or roads or rail. We need to look again at all options with that lens on climate preparedness and the infrastructure vulnerabilities that we have.”
While not highlighting a particular option, Osborne says the government will look at studies that were shelved in 2016 due to the projected cost of a secondary route along Horne Lake.
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