Coquihalla set for even earlier re-opening

• Latest estimated time for re-opening of Hwy 5 may be pushed forward again
• B.C. roadbuilders praised as 'second to none' in the world
• Too early to say when non-essential traffic can use Hwy 3

The provincial government has dropped a hint that non-essential traffic may yet be allowed on Highway 3 over at least part of the holiday season.

Details are expected later this week.

The surprise announcement came Monday during a media briefing and follows the relentless work by hundreds of people to make temporary repairs to the severely damaged Coquihalla highway.

Last week, Transport Minister Rob Fleming said the highway could re-open by early January, as opposed to the initial estimate of late January. That timeline may again be brought forward further, which could then free up Highway 3 for non-essential traffic before the end of the year.

“Now, thanks to the determination of crews who are going at it 24/7 in terms of the repair work, we expect to be able to open up even earlier than that date,” Fleming said Monday. “I will have a full Coquihalla update on Wednesday, describing the scope of repairs and a timeline for when that highway may be reopening to commercial traffic.”

Fleming said the picture was changing all the time and more work can be accomplished in the next 48 hours, although weather remained a factor.

Defying the odds

He said two key milestones on the Coquihalla repair had been achieved Friday, including securing temporary access over critical bridge infrastructure that was destroyed by the Nov. 14 flooding and landslide events. This, in turn, will allow for the speeding up of vital repairs to other damaged sections and paving work, as long as the weather allows.

Fleming stressed despite heavy snow on the Coquihalla in recent days, crews “have not skipped a beat,” and had “defied the odds” in their efforts of making extraordinary progress on repairs.

“I know that within their own global industry B.C. road builders are held in extremely high regard, and they are second to none anywhere that you will find in the world,” Fleming said. “That reputation is long established, but I have to say, seeing the repairs that are happening on the Coquihalla, B.C.’s road builders have taken it to an entirely new level and one we can be incredibly proud of.”

Speeding fines

Those motorists considering whether to travel on Highway 3 for the holidays – if it does indeed re-open in time - may be heartened by the increased enforcement efforts, which Fleming says have resulted in 116 speeding tickets being issued so far in December.

“We have zero tolerance for unsafe driving on Highway 3,” he said, adding a much-viewed dashcam video showing a truck dangerously passing another truck over a double yellow line on Highway 5A, has led to that company’s license to operate in B.C. being suspended.

Fuel restrictions over

Meanwhile, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced an extension of the State of Emergency through Dec. 28, following historic flooding.

"Until we can get these highways (Highway 3 Hope to Princeton and Highway 99) open, this order will have to stay in place. I am grateful to the people putting in tireless, around-the-clock work to fix our roadways so that people can safely get the goods and services they need."

However, on the brighter side for motorists in the most effected areas, fuel rationing is over.

Farnworth said the order limiting non-essential fuel use to 30 litres per trip to a gas station will be lifted as of Tuesday. The order had been in place since Nov. 19.