Delays along a busy stretch of Highway 97 south of Summerland, B.C., are expected for at least another two weeks, if not longer.
“I was here a week ago and it was delayed. and so I’m surprised it is still delayed,” said motorist Steven Fullerton, who lives in West Kelowna.
Single-lane alternating traffic is in effect between Summerland and Trout Creek as Ministry of Transportation crews work on building a retaining wall following a landslide that occurred in the area on May 15.
A silt bluff gave way and resulted in debris falling onto the road below, covering all four lanes of the highway.
The highway was fully closed for hours but, fortunately, no one was hurt.
“One of the beautiful things about Summerland is the silt bluffs that everyone recognizes as they drive down Highway 97, a landmark for the travelling public. The downside is those silt bluffs are inherently unstable,” said Graham Statt, chief administrative officer for the District of Summerland.
“So a lot of design has gone into areas to avoid impacts the way they built the highway. We have some restrictions and zoning to prevent development in certain areas. But even with all that good planning, sometimes the silt bluffs do fail.”
The safety improvement work currently underway is designed to create additional catchment below the bluff so that debris doesn’t end up on the road should there be a slide there again.
In an email to Global News, the ministry said, “Last week’s geotechnical assessments recommended construction of a lock-block retaining wall to increase the debris-catchment area and increase safety prior to re-opening additional lanes. ”
While the ministry anticipates the retaining wall will take approximately two weeks to complete, subject to weather and site conditions, there’s no firm estimate on a full reopening of the highway.
While Statt sympathizes with motorists, he says the delays are short-term pain for long-term gain.
“That’s the great reminder to people that use that highway every day, ” Statt said. “It is a bit frustrating to have that delay right now, but the benefit in the future is to avoid this happening again in some of these key areas.”
While the length of delays depends on the day of the week, and time of day, when Global News was on scene Tuesday morning, the delay was under 10 minutes.
The highway in the Summerland area has seen its fair share of slides in recent years, which impact traffic flow and put lives at risk.
“There’s been a history of this, obviously, and it’s a known risk,” Statt said. “And so as time goes on, it’s just good to be preventative to get ahead of this issue as much as possible … and we do believe they have plans and other areas along Highway 97 as well throughout the region to help manage that.
Motorists are encouraged to check Drive B.C. for any updates on the latest project and the delays.
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