Mayor of Port Alberni ‘thrilled’ with progress reopening Highway 4

Crews on Vancouver Island work to install safety features along Highway 4, which was shut down because of a wildfire. (Courtesy B.C. Government)

Posted June 23, 2023 7:13 pm.

Last Updated June 23, 2023 7:14 pm.

It’s good news for many on Vancouver Island — Highway 4 has partially reopened after two weeks, meaning some communities can once again be connected.

The highway — now open to single-lane alternating traffic — has been thoroughly repaired after the Cameron Bluffs Fire caused rubble to fall off the cliffside.

Repairs and assessments include the installation of a concrete barrier and protective “mesh curtains” to keep people safe along the major route.

The mayor of Port Alberni says the town, which is only accessible on pavement via Highway 4, is “thrilled” with the mainline highway’s progress reopening.

“This is the news we’ve been waiting for,” said Sharie Minions. “I think our community has been a bit cautious over the last week or so since the announcement was made that the target date was this weekend.”

Minions tells CityNews the weeks-long closure has affected some businesses that rely on tourism, including for west coast communities like Tofino and Ucluelet.

✅UPDATE – #BCHwy4 The highway will reopen to single lane alternating traffic at 3:00 PM today after being closed due to a wildfire. Watch for crews working and drive with caution. Expect significant delays. #VanIsle #PortAlberni #Tofino #Ucluelet

ℹ️:https://t.co/KcGRucgZ1Z pic.twitter.com/0TlwmKhHZT

— DriveBC (@DriveBC) June 23, 2023

Outside of tourism, the closure has been an issue for many in their day-day lives. Minions says things like cancelled appointments and delayed visits with loved ones were all too common, with many locals even unable to make it to work.

“There’s a lot of people in our community who work on the east coast of the island,” she said. “We’ve heard stories of people who have not been able to safely make it to medical appointments … maybe something that is not an absolutely essential trip, but a specialist appointment that they’ve been waiting [on] for six months and have now had to cancel because they weren’t equipped to travel the alternative route.”