Highway 99 reopens between Pemberton and Lillooet

Highway 99 has reopened between Pemberton and Lillooet after it closed Tuesday afternoon due to weather concerns.

The route is only available for essential travel and checkpoints will be in place to enforce the restrictions.

The province has also placed weight restrictions for the route from just north of Pemberton to Lillooet.

“This route is a steep, mountainous road with narrow sections and sharp curves. High volumes of commercial vehicles cannot be safely accommodated. Regular passenger vehicles, such as cars, SUVs, vans and trucks under a gross vehicle weight of 14,500 kilograms are able to travel on this corridor,” a statement from the province reads.

On Tuesday, B.C. Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said if needed the province will preemptively close more highways.

“We don’t take these decisions lightly but the current conditions are not typical and we need to keep everyone’s safety at the forefront. We’ll certainly provide as much notice as possible if this is required.”

Drivers are reminded that B.C.’s winter tires regulations are in effect and are urged to use extreme caution, obey signs, speed limits, and any traffic-control personnel’s direction. Other safety tips for winter driving apply, including travelling with a full tank of gas, food and water, and warm clothes.

The following essential vehicles are exempt from the other travel restrictions:

• commercially transporting goods
• transporting essential goods and supplies, specifically:
  • food, water and other beverages
  • fuel and gasoline
  • health-care goods, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies
  • personal hygiene, sanitation and cleaning goods.
• transporting livestock, agricultural or seafood products and supplies
• livestock producers returning to a farm to provide care for animals
• responding to emergencies, including search and rescue operations
• evacuations for medical reasons and urgent medical treatment
• highway repair and maintenance
• transporting essential personnel
• returning to a person’s own principal residence
• exercising an Aboriginal or treaty right as recognized and affirmed by Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.