Here's a rundown of highway closures and conditions in B.C.
CBC
Highways connecting the Lower Mainland to the rest of B.C. have faced flooding, landslides and in some cases, complete washouts since a historic storm hit the province Nov. 14.
Many people who were left stranded when travel between the Lower Mainland and the rest of the province was cut off chose to head south into Washington state and back into Canada to get home. However, the state of highways in B.C. remains ever changing as new slides are discovered and other highways are reopened following cleanup.
Here's a look at the state of B.C.'s highways as of Nov. 24, 2021.
Highway 1: The Trans Canada Highway between Hope and Spences Bridge is closed, though it is open for essential travel from Hope as far as Boothroyd (through Yale, Spuzzum and Boston Bar).
Highway 3: Highway 3 is open between Hope and Princeton. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, a single lane is open in each direction to essential travel only.
Highway 5: The Coquihalla Highway remains closed between Hope and Merritt following multiple, severe washouts that damaged it last week. No detours are being suggested, and experts say it could be weeks before crews can even begin repairs to roads — and rebuilding roads during winter is not easy.
Highway 99: The highway between Lillooet and Pemberton, which was previously closed due to a landslide, is now open for essential travel only and only for smaller vehicles. Officials say nothing larger than a cube truck can travel that road at the moment.
Highway 8: The highway connecting Merritt to Spences Bridge is closed, and has been essentially destroyed by washouts.
Transportation Minister Rob Fleming says 18 segments of the highway were damaged, including four bridges.
A temporary bridge has been set up near Canford to provide local residents alternative access to the area.
Highway 1: The Trans Canada Highway is closed between McCallum Road and Yale Road in Abbotsford, as flooding continues to impact the City of Abbotsford and other parts of the Fraser Valley.
Essential travel only is permitted between Popkum and Hope on Highway 1, and drivers are being asked to be mindful of driving conditions and expect delays.
Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said the highway is expected to open through the Fraser Valley on Thursday. An update on DriveBC lists the estimated time of reopening as 9 p.m. on Thursday night.
Highway 7: As of Nov. 23 at 8 p.m., Highway 7 from Mission to Hope will be restricted to essential travel only. Officials have updated the definition of essential travel to include school buses, public transit vehicles and charter buses to transport individuals to work and school while the order is in effect.
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