Another day, another blast and highway closure just south of Summerland, B.C.
On Wednesday afternoon, Highway 97 was temporarily shut down as work crews again blasted part of a troublesome bluff near the road.
Two landslides over a three-week span from mid-May to early June disrupted traffic near Lakeshore Drive South.
Since then, the Ministry of Transportation has closed that portion of the highway for ongoing remedial blasting. Wednesday’s closure was for an hour, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
A geotechnical assessment in May estimated there were 4,000 cubic metres of unstable material on the slope above the highway.
The highway contractor issued a statement saying it was receiving reports that children using walkie-talkies near the slide site were disrupting work crews.
“When crews change the channels, the children follow and continue to disrupt,” AIM Roads said on its Facebook page. “This was occurring after school hours. However, today it has been first thing in the morning.
“This has major negative impacts and is a safety hazard to our crews. Radio channels must be reserved for road crews and their activities at this location. Please talk to your kids with walkie-talkies and ensure they know to not interrupt radio talk from construction crews and to play on different channels.”
Along with single-lane, alternating traffic patterns, intermittent road closures are expected to continue, though no blasting will take place this long weekend.
AIM Roads also reminds boaters to keep 300 metres (1,000 feet) from the shoreline.