Highway 17 Keating Cross Overpass Project

The Highway 17 Keating Cross Road “Flyover” Overpass Project will allow vehicles to travel this busy corridor more safely and efficiently, helping keep local businesses competitive and promoting regional economic growth.

The project will replace the northbound left turn onto Keating Cross Road with a “flyover” overpass, eliminating the need to turn across busy highway traffic and reducing congestion. Other features of the project include:

• Widening of Keating Cross Road to support additional traffic
• Installation of a new sidewalk on Keating Cross Road to boost safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians
• Installation of bus-on-shoulder facilities that support future plans for bus rapid transit on the Pat Bay Highway
• Realignment of the southbound on-ramp to Victoria
• Closure of the Highway 17 access at:
  • East Saanich Road
  • Martindale Road

Project cost

The total project budget is $76.8 million with contributions from the following:

• $57.6 million: Province of British Columbia
• $16.7 million: The Government of Canada through the Provincial Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects (PTIC-NRP)
• $2.5 million: District of Central Saanich

Status

A construction contract has been the awarded to Flatiron Contractors Canada Limited. Work began in July 2023, with a targeted completion in spring 2026.

The overpass structure opened July 27, 2025 allowing motorist to realize much of the project safety and mobility benefits. Other works needed to complete the project may take until spring 2026. 

Night work will be required during highway lane closures, enabling the contractor to undertake work without causing daytime disruptions to the extensive vehicle traffic on Highway 17.

Drivers can expect delays and are encouraged to:

• Obey all safety signage and drive with care
• Check DriveBC for the most up to date information

Benefits

The project is a priority identified in the South Island Transportation Strategy, an integrated approach to travel choices by increasing the infrastructure needed to build connections, capacity, improve safety and the choices for sustainable travel. This project will:

• Improve safety
• Improve traffic flow and travel times along Highway 17
• Reduce idling times and related air emissions
• Better accommodate growing traffic demands
• Relieve existing vehicle congestion, allowing people to spend less time in traffic 
• Improve access for neighbourhoods and businesses in the Keating area including the Keating Business Park, which supports over 3,000 jobs

Other traffic studies for the Highway 17 corridor and the rest of Vancouver Island are available at Vancouver Island & South Coast Reports & Studies.

Public consultation

• Public Consultation took place from February 24 to March 24, 2021 (PDF, 2.7 MB)
• What we Heard Report - May 2021 (PDF, 6.4MB)

Project design

• Ortho Image for project and Keating Cross Road (PDF, 4MB)
• Roll Plot (PDF, 22MB)
• Cross Sections for Highway 17 and Keating Cross Road (PDF, 353KB)

3D animations of the of the proposed project