A new fence and “boulevard upgrades” along a notorious stretch of Highway 1 in the Duncan and North Cowichan area will soon begin construction.

The new fencing will stand 1.8 metres (six feet) tall and is planned for a 700-metre stretch of Highway 1 between Beverly Street and James Street/York Road.

The goal of the fencing is to discourage pedestrians, many of whom are students at nearby schools, to use marked crosswalks and traffic signals in the area, according to the province.

The fence project kicked into high gear this spring, after a vehicle collided with two pedestrians in April, sending one to hospital in critical condition.

According to ICBC data, the Beverly Street and Highway 1 intersection was the site of 228 crashes over the past five years – from 2020 to 2024 – including

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