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Highway 3 closed as storms roll in

B.C. Transportation makes cautionary preemptive move.

  • Highways 1, 3 and 99 closed
  • Precautionary closure due to storms
  • Infrastructure in those areas is vulnerable

After countless hours of flat out work by contractors to reopen flood and landslide-stricken highways, Mother Nature is once again calling the shots.

As a precautionary move, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure closed portions of three highways this weekend because of the latest series of heavy rainstorms.

Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton was closed Saturday as of 2 p.m., and its status will be reevaluated on Sunday morning.

It will have been a frustrating last few days for truckers eager to get products to the Interior from the Lower Mainland. Hwy 3 was also closed Friday because of a serious accident.

That prompted Transport Minister Rob Fleming to remind all motorists to watch their speed and drive to the challenging conditions on the restricted access highway. Only commercial vehicles and essential travel are allowed along the damaged part of the route.

Some eastbound freight from the Lower Mainland has been moving along alternate routes across Washington State with the U.S. government recently further relaxing various permitting regulations to help during this time of crisis.

Highways 1 and 99 are also closed as a preemptive weather-related move. According to a release, the government said the highway infrastructure on the three routes is very vulnerable after the storms that lashed the province two weeks ago, with more heavy rain posing additional risk.

Environment Canada has special weather statements in effect for the Lower Mainland with more potential flood conditions arising in that area.

A total of 40 to 60 mm of rain was forecast for Hwy 3 Hope to Princeton through Sunday. On the Trans-Canada Highway - Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass- 25 cms of snow was predicted with up to 30 mm of rain to follow.

Here in the Okanagan, the forecast calls for wet flurries and rain showers and there are no weather warnings.

Published 2021-11-27 by Jordan Brenda

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