HOPE, B.C. – Repair work on the Coquihalla highway has reached a milestone with the opening of a fourth permanent bridge, marking the halfway point of the reconstruction project.
The new southbound Juliet Bridge, 55 kilometres south of Merritt, opened July 8 and is built to higher climate resiliency standards than previous projects.
“Getting to this stage this quickly is a testament to the dedication and skill of B.C.’s world-class roadbuilders and the contractor, unions and ministry staff working on restoring the Coquihalla. Making sure there are reliable, climate-resilient roads and bridges for residents, industry and emergency services will keep British Columbians and their supply chains safer and more connected during extreme weather,” said B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming in a press release.
Other new bridges on the Coquihalla include the northbound Bottletop Bridge, 50 kilometres south of Merritt, and the southbound Jessica Bridge, 20 kilometres north of Hope, both of which opened in early June. The northbound Juliet Bridge opened in December 2022.
All new bridges are built on pile footings to withstand high water levels and feature longer spans than previous bridges to reduce the effects of erosion from changing water paths over time, further improving the long-term resiliency of the Coquihalla to extreme weather events, the release said.
The new bridges and the Juliet Bridge were completed by KEA5, a joint venture between Kiewit and Emil Anderson Construction. Crews are on track to complete all six permanent bridge replacements for the project by the end of 2023.
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