Most Williams Lake residents have seen the traffic signal upgrades at Oliver Street and Second Avenue.
These are among the 18 road improvement projects ICBC invested in Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, Clinton and the surrounding area in 2010 to help make roads safer for everyone.
ICBC launched the road improvement program in 1989 and since then, has invested approximately $100 million in projects across B.C. In 2010, ICBC invested approximately $883,000 in projects in the North Central region and $9 million in 280 projects throughout B.C.
“Road improvements deliver real value to our customers, and everyone on our roads, from drivers to pedestrians,” said ICBC’s John Pump, manager of the road improvement program.
“Safer roads lead to fewer crashes and help prevent injuries and death, which also translates into lower claims costs and helps keep rates stable for our customers.”
“These road improvements and safety upgrades will make our northern roads more desirable to travel along,” said Donna Barnett, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA. “Our region is expanding and these advancements in infrastructure are positive planning for the future.”
A 2009 independent evaluation concluded that for every dollar invested, ICBC and customers see a return five to 12 times the investment. That is, for every dollar invested, ICBC and customers save $5.60 over two years and $12.80 over five years in reduced crash costs. All proposed road improvement projects are assessed on their ability to make roads safer.
For example, in the Williams Lake area, ICBC invested $51,700 for the installation of centreline and shoulder rumble strips, and pavement markings on Highway 97 – Marguerite Ferry. The 2009 evaluation showed the improvements resulted in a 13-per cent drop in property-damage claims and a 12-per-cent drop in severe injury crashes, saving $147,800 over two years and $400,700 over five years.
“Our road improvement program is one aspect of our commitment to help make B.C. roads safer,” said Pump. ICBC also participates in engineering safety studies and works with communities to make sure road safety issues are considered in the planning of roadways and managing traffic.
Over the last 21 years, ICBC’s road improvement program has evolved — community investments and successful partnerships have led to award-winning projects and the contributions have helped advance the knowledge of the road safety engineering industry in B.C. and across Canada.
