Highway 1 closed east of Golden between Easter, Victoria Day weekends

It is going to take longer to travel between B.C. and Alberta by road as of later this month.

The province has announced a full highway closure is needed on Highway 1 through the Kicking Horse Canyon between the Easter and Victoria Day weekends.

From noon Tuesday, April 19 to noon Friday, May 20, all through traffic on Highway 1 from Golden to Castle Junction will be routed on highways 93S and 95. This will add as much as 1.5 hours of travel time.

Roadside signs will provide advance notification of the closure and there will also be signs on the alternative routes.

The construction zone will be opened briefly to limited local/commuter traffic with prearranged permits twice daily, escorted by a pilot vehicle during half-hour periods beginning at 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Similar escorts will be provided for school buses to ensure students have uninterrupted access to school. Emergency vehicles in response mode will be provided escorted passage on short notice.

This closure will allow crews to proceed with work that cannot be carried out safely during shorter interruptions, such as construction on and adjacent to the existing highway, which includes the placement of heavy equipment on the roadway.

Progress to date includes installing girders on three bridge and viaduct structures near the eastern end of the project, completing a major rock cut, and installing approximately 200 piles that will support walls and bridges for the improved highway.

When completed in winter 2023-24, this 4.8-kilometre section of narrow, winding two-lane road will be converted to a modern four-lane standard.

For more information on this project, visit: www.kickinghorsecanyon.ca