Sunday August 17, 2025 | SOOKE, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Maintenance of the Phillips Road Bridge in the Sunriver area of Sooke will take place from Monday August 25 to Monday September 8, 2025.
It’s a small two-lane bridge (divided down the middle) connecting Sunriver Estates and rural properties beyond to the rest of Sooke, quite literally the one-road-in/out for residents. A slower driving speed is expected and required.
And it’s a contrast of old with new.
Sunriver sprung up modern in old Sooke:
The Sunriver development is mostly single family homes (including townhomes and houses with suites) in a master-planned community, first zoned for development in 2002. so the bridge is about that old.
There are about 700 homes (population about 1,500) in Sunriver. It is set apart from the main Sooke town area. It was considered a new subdivision but in its own part of Sooke (considered an expansion of the town’s footprint at the time), within the greater District of Sooke population of now about 17,000. Realtors did well in the 2000s to promote the development.
An elementary school for Sunriver has been long on the books of the Sooke School District SD62 (since at least 2008) but the BC Ministry of Education has never prioritized it. It’s possible that school bus travel would be unsafe (or even possible) over the old bridge.
Sooke is part of the Capital Regional District (CRD) aka Greater Victoria area.
Traffic Impacts (Aug 25 to Sept 8):
- Northbound traffic lane closed during works.
- Single lane alternating traffic between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., managed by traffic control personnel.
- From 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., temporary traffic lights will be in place to accommodate single lane alternating traffic patterns.
- A temporary pedestrian walkway, lined with delineators for separation from vehicles, will be maintained to ensure safe pedestrian access across the bridge.
A traffic management plan has been designed to support vehicles travelling to and from Sunriver and the Sooke River Campground. While access will be maintained, delays, particularly during peak travel times, can be expected.
Please allow additional time for your travels while this essential work is completed. We appreciate your patience as we invest in maintaining and improving this important community connection.
Other bridge work:
The District of Sooke is currently coordinating several bridge maintenance projects to prolong their service life and maximize long-term value for the community.
“By addressing needed repairs now, we help ensure these transportation links remain safe, reliable, and cost-effective to maintain for years to come,” the District stated in a news relase on August 15.
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