SUMMERLAND, B.C. – Highway 97 north of Summerland, B.C. will reopen to single-lane alternating traffic by the weekend of Sept 16 and 17, according to the Province of British Columbia.
The section of highway was closed Aug. 28 after a significant rockslide.
Geotechnical engineers continue to monitor and assess data from sensors at the slide site, a release said. Sensors show a continued steady movement of the slope and due to the risk of further falling rock the highway remains closed.
B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure contractors spent the Labour Day weekend building a large lock-block wall to protect the highway from falling rock and crews are working to build a 150-metre berm between the wall and the bottom of the slope. When in place, the wall and berm will allow the far lane from the slope to be safely reopened for travel, the release stated.
Timing of reopening is subject to berm construction progress as well as no further substantial changes to movement of the slope.
Graders are working continuously and drivers will experience some rough road conditions, the release said.
Two additional routes are available for passenger vehicles on forest service roads:
- For travel between Penticton and Kelowna: the 201 Forest Service Road, accessed off Highway 33 near McColloch Road southwest of Kelowna and via Fairview/Industrial/Dartmouth/Carmi avenues in Penticton.
- For travel between Summerland and Peachland: the Trout Main to Peachland Forest Service Road, accessed off Princeton Avenue in Peachland and Princeton Summerland Road in Summerland.
Forest service roads are unpaved and will add as much as 90 minutes travel time.
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