Coquihalla set to reopen to essential travel Dec. 20
Posted December 15, 2021 3:21 pm.
Last Updated December 15, 2021 6:47 pm.
Highway 5, B.C.’s Coquihalla will reopen Monday after being closed for more than a month.
The exact time of reopening of the route between Hope and Merritt has yet to be determined, and traffic will be limited to commercial vehicles, and inter-city buses.
“This will help allow for the safe transportation of goods and services to people in communities across the province,” said Transportation Minister Rob Fleming, who describes the effort to repair the highway as “what may well be one of the most remarkable engineering feats in recent memory in the province of British Columbia.”
The Coquihalla was seriously damaged when catastrophic flooding hit southwestern B.C. on Nov. 15.
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The extensive damage to the road included the complete collapse of several sections of roadway and multiple bridges.
Paula Cousins, regional executive director with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure outlines the scope of work done to date, and what drivers can expect going forward.
“Our efforts have included over 200 pieces of equipment working, over 300 people working around the clock. We’ve moved over 400,000 cubic metres of fill — that’s equivalent to lining up dump trucks all the way from Hope to Kamloops bumper-to-bumper. And we’ve blasted over 130,000 cubic metres of rock, which is enough to fill over 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools,” she said.
“While we are thrilled to reopen the Coquihalla, it is not the Coquihalla as we know it.”
Wow, have a look at this before and after of the Coquihalla. : @BCGovNews @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/xDY7l9qLx0
— Ashley Burr (@AshleyBurr_) December 15, 2021
Cousins estimates the trip between Hope and Merritt will take at least an extra 45 minutes. There will be some lane closures, and speed limits will be lowered. Lighting will be limited until power is fully restored, and electric vehicle charging stations will not be functional. There will be portable toilets instead of full-service washrooms and cell service will be limited in some places.
The reopening will ease some of the pressure on Highway 3, which has been the only corridor open between the Lower Mainland and the Interior.
“It won’t be traffic as usual until the permanent repairs can happen,” Fleming said.
“But what we will gain is a much more efficient and safer highway for the majority of semi-trucks.”
Highway 3, 99 to reopen to non-essential travel
Fleming also announced Highway 3 will be reopened to non-essential travel 24 hours after the Coquihalla, which will allow for recreational trips to and from the Interior once again.
“While this increased mobility is clearly good news, we’re advising people to use extreme caution on Highway 3. It’s a safe route, as long as people are prepared, responsible, and drive to the conditions — but it’s a mountainous route.”
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He notes there are alternatives to driving for people thinking of taking a trip, including extra flights and inter-city buses.
“For those of you who do need to drive you must have good winter tires, you should pack food and blankets have a fully charged cell phone. Take some of those precautions and be prepared to be patient.”
Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet will also reopen to non-essential travel, with restrictions on that route set to be lifted around the same time as the Coquihalla’s reopening.
Weight limits will remain in effect meaning “vehicles larger than a cube truck” are prohibited.
