Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project

Outcome
The Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project is recognized internationally as an outstanding public-private partnership. It was completed on time and on budget in late 2009. As a result of the partnership, taxpayers saw an additional $131 million in economic and safety benefits.

The project was awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Engineering Excellence by the Consulting Engineers of BC, and a Gold Award in the Infrastructure category of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships National Awards for Innovation and Excellence in 2009. In addition, the project won the Environmental Achievement Award from the Transportation Association of Canada. There was also strong public, stakeholder and government support for the project.

Background
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure initiated the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project to increase the road's safety, reliability and capacity. In addition to meeting the area's future traffic needs, the upgrades enhanced economic development opportunities in communities along the highway and in the province as a whole.

Some of the safety benefits of the project include improved sightlines, and straightening and widening the highway. The project also created better pullouts and improved opportunities for police enforcement along the highway.

Kirk & Co. assisted the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and CH2M HILL, one of Canada's leading engineering firms, in designing and implementing a comprehensive public consultation program for the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project. The project included three phases of consultation: Pre-Design Consultation, Preliminary Design Consultation, and Consultation on Detailed Design. Stakeholders and the public were consulted via a discussion guide and feedback form, an online feedback form, stakeholder meetings and open houses.

Public Materials
Kirk & Co. developed all public consultation materials such as consultation discussion guides and feedback forms, consultation summary reports, display boards, public notices and advertising, community updates, web materials and online feedback forms.

Community Relations
Kirk & Co. managed the project’s community relations, which included construction notification and ongoing two-way communication with communities about construction and traffic communications, as well as a public inquiry phone line and email address.

Media Relations
Kirk & Co. assisted the provincial Public Affairs Bureau in providing timely and accurate information to the media on key aspects of the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project.

Key Milestones
Key milestones include:

• Environmental certification
• Successful traffic managmenet
• Completion of three phases of consultation
• Opening of four-lane section of the highway ahead of schedule and under budget

Website
Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project