A new washout closed Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton Monday afternoon.
Drive BC said the washout occurred around noon between Exit 173, Old Hope Princeton Way and Frontage Road.
It reopened to essential traffic only around 4 p.m. but drivers are expected to face heavy delays in the area.
Highway 3 was one of the routes open to essential traffic only, along with Highway 99 and Highway 7 as repairs continue along major routes in the province.
Highways 3, 2 and 22 in Alberta can expect an increase in traffic volumes as traffic heads east from B.C., the Alberta government said Monday.
“Currently, Highway 3 is the only highway open from the Lower Mainland and there is expected to be a large volume of traffic, in particular commercial carriers, heading to Alberta,” it said in a release.
Travellers are being asked to find alternate routes to avoid congestion and can expect delays due to commercial traffic in and out of B.C.
Alberta drivers are also reminded that on certain routes in B.C., travel is restricted to essential traffic only.