Friday February 13, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 12:51 pm]
This news was first reported on January 5, 2026.
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC Hydro crews started working in Victoria along Douglas Street, from Topaz Avenue to Burnside Road, back on January 12.
This work supports the Victoria to Esquimalt Cable Replacement Project, which will replace a corroded underground transmission cable installed in 1980.
Damage to the outer sheath of the line was discovered in August 2023 when a circuit failed in Arbutus Park near the shoreline of the Gorge Waterway and Cecelia Creek.
As announced today by BC Hydro, the work period has been extended after crews encountered “challenging ground conditions and a dense network of underground utilities that have slowed progress”.
BC Hydro says this work is part of critical infrastructure upgrades and is now expected to be completed by February 20.
Douglas Street is a main route:
The work requires lane closures on what happens to be the main corridor of Highway 1 into/from downtown Victoria.
The route is key through the commercialized area of downtown Victoria including Mayfair Mall and stores on Douglas Street in that area.
The work period was scheduled for after the busy Christmas/New Year shopping season and what might be seen as a slower start-of-year business season for the downtown core.
January and early February are generally a non-peak (off-shoulder) tourism season but regular commuter traffic will certainly be impacted.
Phase 1:
While work is underway, there will be no left turns onto Burnside Road for northbound Douglas Street traffic. For the first week or two, there was no access to Topaz Avenue from Douglas Street.
Access to Topaz Avenue will be maintained from Quesnel, Nanaimo and Blanshard street. The work cannot be carried out at night for crew safety and the extent of open excavation.
Message boards and signage:
To keep drivers informed, electronic message boards and street signage have been installed at key locations, says BC Hydro in their traffic advisory today.
Additional lane open during peak travel times:
“Efforts will be made to have an additional lane open during peak travel times. Drivers should plan ahead, drive with caution and expect delays,” says BC Hydro.
Traffic impacts:
Drivers who might normally travel on Douglas Street may choose other routes that will likely then see increased traffic, including Blanshard Street, Gorge Road, Craigflower, Bay Street and others.
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New cable stretches along 2.3 km:
The new 230-kilovolt oil-free insulated cable will span 2.3 kilometres beneath city streets in Victoria and Esquimalt.
A portion of the line crosses under the Gorge Waterway. BC Hydro says that will improve reliability, address seismic risks and meet growing energy needs.
City of Victoria and BC Transit:
BC Hydro continues to work closely with the City of Victoria and BC Transit, including sharing schedule updates and coordinating traffic management.
Safety & thanks:
BC Hydro says their goal is to ensure the project is completed safely and responsibly. For safety reasons the work cannot be done at night.
“We thank the community for their patience and understanding as we undertake this critical work to keep the Greater Victoria power supply safe and reliable,” it was stated in the January 5, 2025 BC Hydro media advisory.
Other/related:
Construction is expected to start in the Gorge Waterway area this summer, with all work scheduled (and cable in service) for completion in Fall 2026.
For more information and project updates, see the Victoria to Esquimalt Cable Replacement Project page.
===== RELATED:
Douglas St traffic delays during BC Hydro line upgrade (January 5, 2026)