Temporary fix of Coquihalla highway will take months

• Initial assessments done on Coquihalla
• It will be 'impossible' to fully restore highway in coming months
• Govt. to introduce restrictions on public on some highways

The likelihood of any traffic once again moving along the Coquihalla highway between Hope and Merritt could be months away, at least. That’s the outlook for a possible temporary fix, while the timeline for a re-build is still uncertain.

Meanwhile, the provincial government is working on an emergency order that would restrict movement of people in specific areas where highway access will be limited.

The news about the Coquihalla highway is not unexpected given the critical damage caused by landslides and flooding waterways following the atmospheric river that dumped record rainfall on parts of Southern B.C. on the weekend.

The Ministry of Transportation’s Interior representative Paula Cousins, said Thursday, initial damage assessments have been done on the Coquihalla, and “… temporary repairs are going to take months.

“Our crews are preparing site plans to begin temporary repairs while engineering procurement and construction experts work to determine the best and fastest way to restore the corridor to its pre-event conditions,” Cousins said.

Transportation Minister Rob Fleming noted there are five areas of concern along Highway 5 where the freak weather event caused significant damage.

“It would be very difficult in a short period of time, impossible really, to restore it to the degree of functionality that we’re used to on the [Coquihalla],” Fleming explained.

“So really the assessments that are going on right now with our geotechs, with our engineers, with road builders and others that are involved, is to come up with a plan about what a shorter-term restoration of the Coquihalla might look like, and [while being mindful of weather conditions], what kinds of temporary fixes and alternative routes we might be able to restore on the 'Coq' and what timeline. So, we’ll have updates, but this week it’s unknown.”

It was also noted by Fleming that the temporary repairs to the Coquihalla are part of a two-stage plan to build back better and stronger, but in the meantime the focus needs to be on reopening the corridor as soon as possible.

The minister said Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton is still on track to reopen to very limited traffic by end of this week and they are working out a traffic plan to allow for essential goods and services to use the route.

Order to restrict movement on limited access highways

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said the government was considering an order under the State of Emergency and a traffic plan that would impose restrictions of movement when highways opened up, likely with single lane alternating traffic to start with.

“Obviously, we want to ensure the priority is for commercial vehicles and essential traffic,” Farnworth said. “ So, the restrictions would be put in place at those particular locations. That’s what is being worked on in terms of an order that could be put in place under the State of Emergency that we have announced.”

Details are expected Friday.

With files from Liam Verster, Vernon Matters