Brief: Permanent repairs to Coquihalla Highway in the works

Travelling in the province should become a bit easier as repairs are done to the Coquihalla Highway in the coming months.

Highway 5, which was damaged by extreme flooding last November, will be undergoing permanent repairs that should wrap up by the end of the year. 

The work is expected to return the Coquihalla to its previous four-lane capacity and fortify the highway to withstand future extreme weather events.

“Our crews worked hard to get the Coquihalla reopened after the severe flooding event and were able to do so in short order about a month after the storm,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. 

“We are excited to move forward on the permanent reconstruction of this key route. We will be making our infrastructure more resilient to climate change and future weather events so it remains reliable, safe and efficient for people and as our key goods movement corridor for now and for years to come.”

The province’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has issued a request for proposals in order to select contractors for the construction of permanent repairs needed at Bottletop Brides (50 kilometres south of Merritt), Juliet Bridges (three kilometres south of Bottletop) and Jessica Brides (48 kilometres south of Juliet. These four Coquihalla sites have been operating with temporary repairs following the November flooding.

The request for proposals for the project closes in mid-April, with construction expected to begin in the summer. The ministry says that efforts will be made to minimize traffic disruptions during peak travel and to complete work overnight where possible, but traffic delays are expected throughout construction. Notice of any traffic disruptions will be available online at DriveBC.ca and on the DriveBC Twitter account.