Coquihalla to reopen to essential traffic Monday

Dec 15, 2021 | 3:25 PM Liam Verster

The Coquihalla repair work is well ahead of schedule.

Transportation Minister Rob Fleming announced Wednesday that essential traffic should be able to travel through the corridor “no later than end of day Monday, December 20th.”

The exact time for reopening is still to be determined, as a few temporary reconstruction projects, including paving, need to be complete.

Traffic on the Coquihalla will be restricted to commercial trucks and inter-city buses. Fleming said this will ensure the supply chain and transportation of goods and services is maintained.

Paula Cousins, the Ministry of Transportation’s Director for Southern Operations, said the advancing of the reopening date can be attributed to the hard work of crews on the ground.

Cousins states that 20 sites along 130 kilometres of the Coquihalla were severely damaged, including 14 leans that were destroyed or significantly undermined, seven bridge structures where spans collapsed or were compromised, and five debris flow events.

She noted that crews were able to quickly get to work on the sites, and thanks to the round-the-clock work of the 300 individuals and 200 pieces of equipment along the Coquihalla, in addition to the favourable weather conditions, the work to create temporary access along the corridor has been completed ahead of schedule.

Cousins notes that, once reopened, travel along the Coquihalla will not be the same as it was before.

The highway will initially have several sections where traffic will be reduced to just two lanes, and there will be several speed reductions and crossovers along the route.

“We anticipate it will take an additional 45 minutes to travel through this segment in optimal weather conditions,” said Cousins .

She added that, as reopening this route has been seen as a priority, she wants to ensure users are prepared for a few other projects that have yet to be completed and may cause additional challenges.

“There will be no power. B.C. Hydro is working hard to restore service, but it will not be done on time for Monday. So until power is restored commercial drivers can expect limited lighting in the snow shed and at break checks and chain up areas using generators; the variable speed system will not be in service; there will be portable toilets available but not full service washrooms; there will be a reduced cell coverage along the route; and electronic vehicle charging stations will not be functional,” said Cousins.

“On the operating front, commercial drivers can expect reduced speed limits along the corridor, it will be 100 kilometres per hour on four-lane sections and 60 kilometres per hour on cross-over and two-lane sections. There will be increased chain up requirements; increased winter maintenance and monitoring; and increased CVSE enforcement.”

She adds it took a lot of work to get the highway reopened and will take a lot of work to make sure the corridor stays open. Cousin asks drivers to do their part by making sure they have the proper chains, following posted speeds, driving to conditions and not passing in the two-lane or cross-over sections.

The work to permanently repair the Coquihalla and build the sections back stronger so they can withstand future weather related events is expected to g into the new year. It’s not yet known when the corridor will be able to reopen to non-essential travel.

Fleming added that 24 hours after the Coquihalla has reopened, the travel restrictions on Highway 3 will be lifted.

“One of the reasons we will stagger the lifting of essential travel restrictions on Highway 3 by about 24 hours after we open up the number 5 is to give the trucking industry and various routes and deliveries that they’ve booked a period of time to migrate back to the number 5,” said Fleming.

“We want the 5 to be the overwhelming commercial truck route for the province, it will be much faster for them, more direct, that’s where drivers want to be. We’ve already communicated with the B.C. Trucking Association and other in the industry, that this is our plan.”

He noted giving the trucks a day to move over to the Coquihalla will ensure there isn’t a mixing of non-essential travellers, as well as create an opportunity to do any road inspections if necessary.

Fleming added that people who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with winter and mountain driving should find alternate routes of travel between the Interior and Lower Mainland. He also advised people to have proper snow tires equipped to their vehicles, have a stocked emergency kit in their vehicle, and to make sure their phones are charged before making the trip.

Enhanced winter maintenance, improved signage and heavy police presence and CVSE enforcement will continue along Highway 3.

At the same time as the Coquihalla reopens to essential travel, the section of Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet that has been restricted will also be opened to general travel.

Commercial vehicles larger than a cube-truck will still not be allowed on that section of Highway 99.

This restriction will remain in place until temporary repairs on Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon are complete. That work is ongoing and Fleming said it’s expected to be complete and ready for essential traffic use in mid-January.

Work is also ongoing on Highway 8, though Fleming said there is still no estimated date for reopening as sections of the road saw extensive damage which require significant repairs.

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