Highway 4 – Truck Survey

Current Data available through the BC Ministry of Transportation website is not complete for Highway 4.

See greenhouse gas emission comparisons, traffic estimates, and this survey, all in one comprehensive spreadsheet at What are the Numbers.

To attempt to provide some data to work with, below are the results of 21 hours of surveying Highway 4 truck traffic.  Results are in trucks per hour.

Highway 4 Truck Overall Survey
Results are in trucks per hour. Max and Min Production refer to traffic for the mine and is currently between 11 and 1 B-Train trucks per hour (both directions) respectively. That means an increase between 54% and 600%… on average it’s over double at 116%.
Highway 4 Truck Day of Week Survey Results
Semi trailer truck traffic is fairly steady Variations in B-Train traffic is what changes the results from day to day leading to averages between 14 and 24 semi and btrain trucks an hour. The increase in just B-Trains ranges from double to quadruple the current one-way traffic and double to triple overall both ways.
Highway 4 Truck Time of Day survey results
Data gathered for morning, afternoon and evening times. There is a definite bias to Westbound B-Train traffic in morning and Eastbound in afternoon. In the evening B-Train truck traffic drops off dramatically with 4 and 1 surveys showing no B-Train trucks going West and East respectively

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Finally, Consider also, this snapshot taken from the BC Highway 4 webcam
Snowfall at Hwy 4 pullout

Note that these should only be used as information on what might be a typical period in traffic… they should not be considered representative of all times of day, week or year.

Counts were done between February 7 and February 11, 2011 and are continuing in May.
Semi-trucks, logging trucks, and B-Train trucks were counted.
Counted for exactly one hour, in both directions.
Overall Totals include collapsed logging trucks and empty uncovered trailer trucks.
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday surveys done from logging road access on Highway 4 between East and Westbound passing stretches near Little Qualicum Falls Park. Wednesday survey was done at Alberni Summit.

Follow the Ruts……..
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