Highway 97 near Summerland to partially reopen Monday evening

Highway 97 near Summerland, B.C., will partially reopen several days earlier than expected.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MotI) announced that the highway will be open to single-lane alternating traffic as of 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11.

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The highway has been closed since Aug. 28 due to a significant rockslide.

Over the past two weeks, contractors have built a large lock-block wall to protect the highway from falling rock.

“Crews continue work to build a 150-metre-long berm between the wall and the bottom of the slope,” read the MotI release.

“The berm is partially complete and has significantly slowed movement of the material at the site, allowing the furthest lane from the slope to reopen to single-lane-alternating travel.”

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Drivers, however, can expect up to 30-minute delays during peak travel times.

And according to the Ministry, this portion of the road could be closed again with limited notice if it is deemed unsafe.

“The site will be at greater likelihood of closure should heavy rainfall occur,” MotI adds.

There is no timeline as to when the highway will fully reopen.

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