Highway 5, about 11 kilometres east of Hope at Othello, looking north shortly before 6:00 a.m. Thursday. (Image Credit: DriveBC)

By Aaron Schulze

Highway Watch

Vehicle incident and downed power lines snarl traffic on pair of highways

Mar 12, 2026 | 6:05 AM

UPDATE (11:00 a.m. ): There are a pair of closures on Highway 5 North.

Traffic is halted in both directions south of Avola due to a police incident that was first reported at around 6:30 a.m. Thursday.

Highway 5 is also closed north of Vavenby due to a vehicle incident reported at around 8:00 a.m.

An update on the Vavenby closure is due at noon, while an update the situation near Avola is expected at 1:00 p.m.

The Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt remains closed in both directions with another update due at 1:00 p.m.

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UPDATE (8:00 a.m.): DriveBC says a vehicle incident has halted traffic in both direction on Highway 5 North near Avola. Another update is due at 9:00 a.m.

UPDATE (7:30 a.m. ): The Trans Canada Highway between Hope and Boston Bar reopened at 6:30 a.m.

However, 1,183 customers along the stretch of Highway 1 remain without power. BC Hydro says no crews have been assigned.

DriveBC says another update on the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt is due at 9:00 a.m.

EARLIER: HOPE, B.C. — A pair of highways connecting B.C.’s southern Interior to the south coast are closed this morning. 

DriveBC first reported of a vehicle incident on the Coquihalla Highway at Othello Road between Hope and Merritt at around 10:00 p.m. Wednesday (March 11), while hydro lines were reportedly down on the Trans Canada Highway from Hope to Boston Bar shortly after midnight Thursday (March 12). 

While a winter storm warning is no longer in effect for the stretch of the Coquihalla, DriveBC has a travel advisory in place Thursday due to heavy snowfall and high winds. 

A wind warning has also ended for the Fraser Canyon. 

BC Hydro says 609 customers along Highway 1 between Hope and Boston Bar had power knocked out at around 9:00 p.m. Wednesday. No crews have been assigned as of publication.

Updates on both highways are due at 7:00 a.m.

More to come.