Crews paving the Coquihalla Highway throughout the day ahead of the highway's re-opening (BC Transportation).

By Dave Barry and Aaron Schulze

Coquihalla Re-opens

Coquihalla Highway re-opens for commercial trucks and intercity buses

Dec 20, 2021 | 8:46 AM

KAMLOOPS – The Coquihalla Highway officially re-opened to commercial trucks and intercity buses shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Monday (Dec. 20).

DriveBC reminds drivers to expect extended construction zones – with no passing allowed – with reduced speeds. Drivers are asked to watch for traffic control and ongoing congestion.

Additionally, Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet re-opened to non-essential traffic. DriveBC says non-essential travel is only for vehicles up to 14,500 kilograms gross vehicle weight. Drives are told to not park on shoulders, and to watch for construction and maintenance crews.

The Coquihalla Highway was closed Nov. 14 between Merritt and Hope as a series of major rainstorms moved across the region. The atmospheric river event damaged more than 20 sites along a 130-kilometre stretch of the Coquihalla.

The damage included five bridge spans that were either collapsed or completely washed away.

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The provincial government originally estimated the road could be reopened in the spring. Then the estimate was moved up to January. But last week, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming announced the main highway connecting the lower mainland with the Interior, would reopen today to essential traffic.

The closure of the Coquihalla, along with other highways, stopped the flow of goods from the Port of Vancouver to the rest of Canada. The closure slowed the shipment of items across the country during the holiday season and exposed a major weakness in Canada’s supply chain.

It’s not clear when the highway will be opened again to passenger traffic.

The province hasn’t said how much money is being spent to rebuild the damaged areas of the road but the federal government has already agreed to provide some funding.