Coquihalla Highway to reopen for passenger vehicles tomorrow

BC’s Coquihalla Highway will reopen to passenger vehicles between on Wednesday after several weeks of only allowing commercial trucks.

The update came from Rob Fleming, BC’s Minister of Transport, who hosted a news conference on highway repairs Tuesday morning.

“This will be a much more convenient route for people going to in from the Lower Mainland to the Interior, and it represents another significant milestone in our recovery from the devastating storms,” Fleming said. “With that told, drivers must be aware that this is not the Coquihalla as we know it.”

Temporary repairs to the highway have made it passable, but there are several sections where there’s two-lane traffic only with one lane in each directions. No passing is permitted in those areas. In addition, there are multiple speed reductions in place, there is no electricity in some areas, and several rest stations remain closed.

The route between Hope and Merritt takes about 45 minutes longer than it did before the storm.

The highway reopened to commercial truck traffic on December 20 after being closed for several weeks following flooding and mudslides during a record-breaking atmospheric river in mid-November.

Fleming said he’s pleasantly surprised by how quickly the highway could be reopened, given that the government initially estimated it would be closed for months.

“The level of motivation was through the roof. People wanted to be part of that,” he said. “[It’s] nothing short of incredible.”

Highway repair costs pegged at $170 to $220 million

Fleming also announced the first cost estimate for flood repairs on Tuesday. While final numbers haven’t been calculated yet, Fleming said the atmospheric repair bill for the province will probably fall between $170 to $220 million.

Of that, $45 to $50 million was dedicated to reopening the Coquihalla.

Highway 99 size limits lifting

Ever since the atmospheric river, Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet has had size restrictions prohibiting large transport trucks. A fatal mudslide swept several vehicles off the road in that area, killing four people.

Highway 99’s weight restrictions will lift on Wednesday, once again allowing commercial traffic to use the road.

“This is going to be very helpful for truckers who need to move goods within the local area,” Fleming said. “However, because of the steep and winding routes are part of Highway 99 it is not a preferred corridor for heavy commercial vehicles and should only be used for local commercial traffic.”

Repairs continue on Highway 1 and Highway 8

The Trans Canada Highway remains closed between Kanaka Bar and Hope. Record snowfalls and recent avalanches have delayed work around Jackass Mountain, but crews are back on scene now.

Things are also looking better at Tank Hill, an area made famous by devastating photos showing a chunk of highway washed away below a railway bridge. Fleming said there’s now a temporary flat detour for rail traffic.

 

“When Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon reopens, drivers can expect lengthy delays with additional travel times as long as two hours or longer, depending on the destination,” the Ministry of Transport said in a news release.

Highway 8 between Merritt and Spence’s Bridge was essentially destroyed during the atmospheric river, and although there’s still a long way to go repair crews are making progress. Fleming said he expects people cut off from their homes will be able to access them once again in the spring.