A deadly stretch of Vancouver Island highway will get major safety upgrades including median barriers, more lanes and wider shoulders, the government announced Wednesday.

B.C. Transportation Minister Todd Stone said the province and federal government will invest $34-million in the stretch of Trans-Canada Highway known as the Malahat, between Victoria and Duncan.

The federal government is chipping in $14-million for the upgrades, while B.C. is providing $20-million.

The new median barriers will be installed along a three-kilometre stretch of the Malahat, and the highway will be widened from two to four lanes in a five-kilometre stretch.

Earlier this year, Malahat Fire Chief Rob Patterson called for safety upgrades following a head-on crash that killed a 33-year-old Saanich man.

A truck had veered into the oncoming traffic lane, killing the driver of the vehicle it struck. Medians will now be installed along that stretch.

The government said the upgrades will also include improved highway access, and should be complete by 2018.

With files from The Canadian Press