A troubled section of Highway 97 in the South Okanagan will again undergo a temporary closure — this time, though, it’ll be planned.
Located just south of Summerland, B.C., the road has undergone two temporary closures since mid-May due to two landslides.
The well-travelled highway was reopened to traffic both times, albeit after hours-long closures.
On Thursday, a planned closure will run from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., as blasting crews attempt to bring down more rocks and soil from the offending bluff.
“Last month’s geotechnical assessments determined there were approximately 4,000 cubic metres of unstable material on the slope above the highway needing to be safely brought down,” said the Ministry of Transportation.
According to the ministry, work crews have gradually been bringing down slope material, though blasting is needed to bring down larger segments.
Barring Thursday’s one-hour closure, Highway 97 will continue to see single-lane, alternating traffic, though more intermittent closures for scaling and drilling will occur.
The ministry says road users can generally expect 20-minute delays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and that the goal is to have two-way traffic restored by the end of next week and the project completed by mid-July.
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