B.C.’s Coquihalla Highway could reopen to commercial traffic by early instead of late January after November’s disastrous flooding and landslides, Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said Thursday.
More than 100 pieces of heavy equipment are staged along the major route, Fleming said, and crews are making “tremendous progress.”
As long as the weather cooperates, he said, the highway would reopen earlier than previously forecast.
“It’s remarkable given the scale of the damage,” he added.
The highway suffered catastrophic damage during the first atmospheric river that hit southern B.C. on Nov. 14 and 15. More than 100 kilometres of highway needs to be repaired.
Once the Coquihalla is available again in some capacity, Highway 3 would reopen to non-essential travel, Fleming said.
However, another strong winter storm is forecast to hit parts of the South Coast from Friday to Sunday.
The province is urging commercial and essential drivers along Highway 3 to be diligent with significant snowfall and reduced visibility expected, as well as potential avalanche activity and increased water flow along that route.
“The storm is expected to affect a section of Highway 3 near Manning Provincial Park, between Hope and Princeton,” the government said in a release Thursday. “The corridor is currently the main commercial trucking connection between the Lower Mainland and the Interior and is under a non-essential travel order. Commercial and essential vehicle drivers should be aware and prepared for strong winter storm conditions.”
Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon is still closed, Fleming said, but on track to open in mid-January.
Travel along Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet remains restricted, accommodating vehicles up to the size of a cube van.
For people wanting to travel between the Lower Mainland and the Interior for the holiday season, Fleming said more flight options will become available and some inner-city bus services will be operating along Highway 3 as part of the essential-travel order.
Meanwhile, B.C.’s South Coast is once again bracing for heavy rain.
Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound and Whistler, Greater Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands, with a new storm forecast to arrive Friday.
The national weather and climate agency is forecasting between 40 and 60 millimetres of rain, with up to 80 millimetres possible near the North Shore and Howe Sound.
Snowfall of between 15 and 20 centimetres is forecast near Whistler, the Coquihalla Summit and Allison Pass on Highway 3.