Menu

Topics

Connect

Comments

Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.

Okanagan Connector: Icy conditions, crashes led to temporary overnight closure

A photo showing icy conditions along the Okanagan Connector on Thursday evening, around 9 p.m. Luke Boutwell / Contributed

The Okanagan Connector underwent a temporary overnight closure due to multiple crashes stemming from terrible road conditions.

Story continues below advertisement

DriveBC said the highway was closed westbound between Brenda Mine Road and Pennask Summit due to a vehicle incident on Thursday night around 10 p.m.

Two hours later, the highway was reported closed and no detours were available.

Police told Global News they were closing the highway due to accidents and road conditions.

The Connector reopened around 2 a..m., but motorists were told to expect major delays.

 

On social media, some people reported very icy conditions near the summit, which has an elevation of 1,717 metres. A weather report from DriveBC said the area received 10 centimetres of snow during the past 12 hours.

Story continues below advertisement

One motorist, who commutes between the Okanagan and the Lower Mainland, told Global News that conditions were the worst he’d ever seen, saying the summit was a complete sheet of ice.

Conditions at the summit were improved as of 9 a.m. Friday, with blacktop showing, no snow and a temperature of -2.7 C.

Winter tires or chains are required when travelling over mountain passes from Oct. 1 to April 30.

More information about that rule is available online.

 

Advertisement

You are viewing an Accelerated Mobile Webpage.

View Original Article