A closed section of Highway 3 in B.C.’s Southern Interior has reopened after being closed since Sunday evening due to a rockslide.
The section is west of the village of Keremeos, between Hedley-Nickleplate Road and Ashnola Road, a distance of 5.5 kilometres.
According to DriveBC, single-lane traffic is now open in each direction. Prior to the closure, a detour was available via Highway 97 to Highway 97C to Highway 5A.
“An aerial geotechnical assessment conducted this morning determined that the area was safe for crews to begin clearing the highway,” the Ministry of Transportation told Global News on Tuesday.
“Work is underway removing rock and patching the road where it was damaged by rockfall.”
Along with those efforts, plenty of work is still ahead to restore power and phone services to affected area residents.
“We are happy to say that we went from 114 homes that were without power now is down to 71,” said regional district spokesperson Tim Roberts.
Also, an evacuation order is still in effect for two properties below the slide area, including River Valley RV Park. Around 38 residences are affected by the order.
Roberts went on to say that events like this serve as an important reminder for residents to be prepared for emergencies just in case.
“With the change in temperature and the change in moisture, we are seeing more and more significant rockfall,” said Roberts.
“So being prepared for emergencies, having your grab-and-go bag … and on top of that being connected to your local announcements or social media.”