Highway 1 between Chilliwack and Abbotsford expected to reopen Thursday

Following critical, temporary repairs and extensive work clearing debris, B.C.’s transportation minister says the flood-affected portion of Highway 1 in the Fraser Valley is expected to reopen this week.

Rob Fleming says the highway between Chilliwack and Abbotsford is expected to reopen sometime Thursday, though he wasn’t able to say what time of day. He says the estimation is based on what crews are seeing on the ground, as well as dropping water levels.

The minister says this will provide significant relief for people needing to travel through the Fraser Valley.

“We know that people in this region need to travel around this will provide significant relief and we will keep people updated on that estimated time of opening.”

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Meanwhile, on Wednesday at 6 p.m., travel restriction orders came into effect on Highway 7 in the area west of Agassiz. Fleming says the order was a necessary step in order to reactivate the supply chains congested on the highway.

“This was not a decision that was taken lightly,” he said. “But we needed to unblock that corridor so that goods could begin to move and reactivate supply chains that all British Columbians depend on.”

Fleming says he is “pleased” to report restrictions are working.

“As of this morning, essential traffic was able to move significantly faster than at the same time yesterday,” he said Wednesday. “Travel is still taking longer than usual. But the short-term restrictions are helping us get essential goods and services moving out of the Lower Mainland to communities around B.C.”

Fleming says restrictions will remain in place for Highway 7 west of Agassiz to Mission, in order to allow the movement of essential goods.