A series of road improvements worth C$9.1m ($7.1m) have started on Highway 14 in and around Sooke, Canada, as part of a partnership between the Province of British Columbia (BC) and the District of Sooke.

For this project, the province has offered C$6m ($4.7m) for resurfacing projects in the Sooke area and a contribution to a new roundabout at the intersection of Highway 14 and Brownsey Boulevard.

The District of Sooke is contributing C$3.1m ($2.4m) towards the roundabout that will improve safety as the busy intersection.

"As a result of this work, the corridor will be safer for all motorists, cyclists and pedestrians in the region."

British Columbia minister of transportation and infrastructure Todd Stone said: "This is a key project in ‘BC on the Move’ because it puts a number of priorities from the plan into action, including safety improvements at intersections, rehabilitation of provincial highways and side roads, investments in cycling, and partnerships with local communities.

"As a result of this work, the corridor will be safer for all motorists, cyclists and pedestrians in the region."

The scope of work will also include improved crosswalks and lighting as well as construction of new sidewalks, curbs, gutters and a new shoulder bike lane between Otter Point and Townsend Rd and between the roundabout and Church Road.

The balance of the provincial funding will go towards three resurfacing projects in the Sooke area.

The project will see Highway 14 from Kangaroo Road east to the four-lane section repaved and the shoulders will be widened to 1.5m and paved to accommodate cyclists.

In addition, paving will be done on Highway 14 between Otter Point and Church Road, and East Sooke Road between Gillespie Road and Pike Road will be re-surfaced.

Construction under this project is expected to be completed later this year.

Under ‘BC on the Move’ initiative, the province is investing C$30m ($23m) over the next three years in intersection safety improvements in communities throughout BC.

Rehabilitation of provincial highways and side roads is a major component of this initiative.

Over the next three years, the province will invest C$380m ($298m) to resurface provincial highways, with 1,000km resurfaced annually.