Coquihalla Highway reopens to regular traffic Wednesday
Posted January 18, 2022 11:47 am.
Last Updated January 19, 2022 6:11 am.
B.C.’s Coquihalla Highway reopened to all regular vehicle traffic Wednesday, just over two months after heavy rainfall, flooded waterways, and landslides caused cataclysmic damages.
The major route connecting the Lower Mainland to the Interior was closed due to multiple washouts on Nov. 14, 2021. It reopened to commercial traffic only just a little more than a month later on Dec. 20.
“I’m very pleasantly surprised at the progress that we’ve made,” Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming said Tuesday. “I think one of the things that really made the difference was the level of motivation was through the roof. People wanted to be a part of that.”
Fleming says upwards of 300 women and men worked on repairs around the clock with 140 pieces of equipment.
However, in his announcement, Fleming said “drivers must be aware that this is not the Coquihalla as we know it.”
Some sections are two-lane traffic only and multiple speed reductions are in place. Some rest areas are still closed, while some electric vehicle charging stations are still out of order. Drivers can expect the ride between Hope and Merritt to still take 45 minutes longer than normal due to conditions on the highway, Fleming said.
When Highway 3 was one of the only options for drivers to get into the Interior, concerns were raised about the number of crashes, avalanches, and poor conditions. Truckers also complained of unsafe, icy road conditions and potholes.
“We’ve certainly been working with road maintenance companies. Because the winter that we’re experiencing right now is significant and severe,” Fleming said. “Working closely with the industry is a key strategy around maintaining ongoing safety of our roads, including the Coquihalla.”
Fleming says there will also be increased police patrols on the Coquihalla to make sure drivers are adhering to posted speed limits.
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“The Coquihalla, as we all know, is a steep mountainous route and we’ve seen how conditions can change quickly,” Fleming said. “With severe winter weather people should only be on the highway if their vehicle has good winter tires, a full tank of gas, and they have food and water and warm winter clothes with them.”
The state of emergency that was initiated due to November’s storms expires at midnight.
The province estimates emergency repairs to B.C.’s highway network will range between $170 million and $220 million, although it stresses the numbers are preliminary. Approximately $45 million to $55 million is expected to go towards reopening the Coquihalla, Fleming said.
It’s unclear how much money the federal government may put towards repairs, but Fleming says discussions are ongoing.
Starting Wednesday, the province is also removing the weight restriction on Highway 99 between Liloette and Pemberton, allowing larger commercial vehicles back on the route.
“However because of the steep and winding trend that is part of Highway 99 It is not a preferred corridor for heavy commercial vehicles and should only be used for local commercial traffic,” Fleming said.
Fleming says crews have made good progress repairing Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon, and are now working on the last section between Boothroyd and Kanaka Bar, however weather and avalanche danger has hampered their speed.
On Highway 8, repairs are currently underway or complete at 10 of 23 separate sites with construction set to begin at 13 more in the near future, the province confirmed. The Highway between Merritt and Spence’s Bridge was largely destroyed by floodwaters.
