Crews working to open Hwy 1 from Kanaka Bar to Yale by the end of January

BC’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, announced that repairs to Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon continue and they are hoping to have the highway fully reopened by the end of the month.

Hwy 1 reopened from Kanaka Bar to Spences Bridge on Jan. 14 with a limit to vehicle loads of 25 meters, lengthy delays and reduced speed limits.

The highway remains closed between Kanaka Bar and Yale as recent snowfall events and recent avalanche risks have delayed repairs near Jackass Mountain.

However, crews are back on the construction sites and working to have the highway reopened to all vehicle traffic as soon as possible.

Crews are back to work to reopen #BCHwy1 at Jackass Mountain after record snowfalls and avalanche risk had delayed work.
The Acrow Bridge is coming along. We expect the highway will reopen to all vehicle traffic before the end of January. pic.twitter.com/cb5ITrhBoZ

— BC Transportation (@TranBC) January 18, 2022

A single-lane, 260-meter bridge is being installed at Jackass Mountain, however, it is in a known avalanche zone and crews are working to ensure it is safe enough to reopen to traffic.

“When this section opens, drivers will have a pilot car service here for about four kilometres,” explained Rob Fleming, minister of transportation and infrastructure.

“This, again, will open up another route connecting the Lower Mainland with the Interior and the north and will further help the province with the movement of people and goods.”

However, similar to the Coquihalla, when the highway does reopen it will not be as it was and traffic loads will be limited to 25 meters in length, there will be long delays (travel time of two hours or more), an at-grade train crossing and ongoing avalanche control work.

Fleming continued by explaining that about 23 sites are being addressed on Highway 8 between Merritt and Spences Bridge.

Temporary access has been completed or is under construction at 10 sites and construction is set to begin at the remaining 13 sites in the near future.

“Access through the five sites between Merritt and the westside of Shackan Indian reserve is now open for local residents,” said Fleming.

Local access is also available just south of Spences Bridge as repairs continue at Rattlesnake Bridge and Three Mile Bridge.

However, the repairs to the remaining sections of this highway are not expected until the spring.

As many of BC’s highways continue to reopen and as temporary repairs begin to come to an end, the state of emergency that was issued after November's flooding events has come to an end.