The Broman passing lane project on Hwy. 16 between Houston and Burns Lake is scheduled to be completed on schedule by the fall.

Houston Today spoke to Ministry of Transportation representative Max Gordon, who said that the project includes construction of a two-kilometre westbound passing lane, an extension of the eastbound passing lane by 400 metres, and safety improvements to the brake check and chain off areas at Six Mile Summit.

Jakes Construction LTD. was contracted for the project, and has an operations base three kilometres from the construction site at Broman Lake. The project originally began in May 2020, and was shut down in December 2020 for the winter. Construction began again this spring with the scheduled date of completion being sometime in the fall.

Initially, one of the main reasons behind the project was the increase in transport truck traffic in the area over the recent years, which led to congestion on some steeper sections of the highway. Hwy. 16 is a high-profile transportation corridor between Prince Rupert and the Alberta border.

According to the Ministry of Transportation, the project will improve safety and efficiency for people travelling this segment, which includes a grade that can slow heavy vehicles.

While work is ongoing, drivers can expect some delays with single lane alternating traffic.

The Broman passing lane project is the largest construction project along Hwy. 16 in the are. It has a budget of $15 million.

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