There could be a third lane coming to a busy stretch of the Sea to Sky Highway between Vancouver and Whistler.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has agreed to do a feasibility study for a third lane on Highway 99 between Function Junction and Whistler Village.
Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden told Global News they don’t have a timeline yet for when they would see the results of this study.
“Whistler is very active in transportation planning,” Wilhelm-Morden said. “A third lane could help relieve some pressure on the highway, if it were used for a dedicated bus lane or to allow a lane reversal depending on the time of day.”
However, Wilhelm-Morden said their intention would be to plan strategically, so the extra lane doesn’t just increase capacity and get filled with more cars.
Wilhelm-Morden also said Fortis Gas needs to bring a new high-pressure gas main from Function Junction further north in Whistler to accommodate general growth in the demand for natural gas, and specifically the anticipated demand from the new natural gas buses.
“There may be some synergy between the work Fortis needs to do and providing an additional lane on the highway,” she said.
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The Ministry of Transportation said it will be asking for input from the municipality, so it can be incorporated into the study.
No decision has been made at this point as the ministry is still in the assessment phase.
The study is not anticipated to be completed until fall of this year.
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