B.C.'s Coquihalla Highway celebrates 30 years

May 2016 marks 30 years since the Coquihalla Highway opened in British Columbia.

The 324-kilometre project helped open up the interior to economic development, improved access to the west coast, and created thousands of jobs in the process.

"I'd like to give thanks to the workers who contributed their time and talent towards the creation of this highway. Their hard work and dedication is a shining example of the skills and ingenuity this province is known for," said Stone. "Today, the Coquihalla highway system links Kamloops, Kelowna and Merritt with the coast and has connected British Columbian communities along this route to opportunity for over three decades."

Built on the former rail bed of the Kettle Valley Railroad, the first phase of the Coquihalla highway covers more than 120 kilometres and was completed on May 16, 1986, to coincide with Expo '86 in Vancouver. Over 10,000 workers contributed to the building of this project through some of the most challenging terrains in the province. Starting in 1984, the entire project took two years to complete.

Today, the highway has over 20,000 vehicles per day and over four million per year. Phase 1 connected Hope to Merritt and was viewed as the largest and most difficult of the three phases. Phase 2 from Merritt to Kamloops was completed in September of 1987 and Phase 3 - the Okanagan Connector - which joined Merritt to Peachland - was completed in October 1990.

"The construction of the Coquihalla highway had a tremendous impact on communities like Hope and Merritt," said MLA for Chilliwack-Hope Laurie Throness. "Thirty years later, this route is still one of the province's most active corridors for the movement of goods and people, and vital to the Asia-Pacific Gateway. As our population grows and our economy thrives, it makes sense to continue to invest in this key trade route."

The Coquihalla Highway construction created over 49,000 direct and indirect jobs, over nine million cubic metres of rock were blasted during construction, it contains 86 kilometres of culvert pipe, and 240,000 tonnes of concrete. There is 280 km of median and guard railing, 172 kilometres of fencing, and 40,000 tonnes of steel along the highway.