The Kicking Horse Canyon portion of Highway 1 east of Golden closed at noon on Sept. 25 and will not reopen until Friday, Oct. 6 at noon.
The road is closed for the phase 4 project as it nears completion.
All through traffic on Highway 1 between Golden and Castle Junction will be routed via Highway 93S and 95. The alternate route will add as much as one and a half hours of travel time.
According to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, these closures are needed to complete construction activities that cannot be performed in the presence of traffic or during shorter interruptions. Crews will be focused on preparing the new westbound lanes, currently under construction, for traffic this fall.
Roadside signage will provide advance notification of the closure and direction to the alternate route. Drivers are advised to use caution and watch for wildlife, school children and school buses.
The construction zone will be opened briefly to limited local and commuter traffic with prearranged permits twice daily, escorted by a pilot vehicle during half-hour periods beginning at 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Mountain time). Similar escorts will be provided for school buses to ensure students have uninterrupted access to school.
Emergency vehicles in response mode will be provided escorted passage on short notice.
The highway will be fully open for the Thanksgiving long weekend. After Thanksgiving, travellers can expect some daytime stops and overnight closures.
“When completed this winter, this 4.8-kilometre section of narrow, winding two-lane road will be converted to a modern four-lane standard, making a safer, more reliable route for people travelling through the Kicking Horse Canyon,” stated the ministry.
Updates about delays will be available online: https://www.drivebc.ca/
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