Highway 97 near Summerland remains closed with no estimated time for reopening, as crews continue to see slope movement at the site of the rockslide.
An alternate route has been open since Friday afternoon, Feb. 9, on the west side of Okanagan Lake, using the Trout Creek Forest Service Road between Peachland and Summerland.
#BCHwy97 has 3 alt routes available after rockslide N of Summerland. The Trout Creek Forest Service Rd for #Peachland to #Summerland, or the 201 Forest Service Rd for #Penticton to #Kelowna. Commercial vehicles use #BCHwy97C, #BCHwy5A, #BCHwy3 & #BCHwy3A.https://t.co/AdPxUrPuxr pic.twitter.com/8TnbhKRyQu
— Drive BC (@DriveBC) February 9, 2019
Paula Cousins, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s Deputy Director for the Southern Interior Region, said the new route accommodates light vehicles and provides a better connection for local traffic travelling from Summerland to Peachland or vice versa.
The full route includes the Princeton Summerland Road west of Summerland, the Trout Creek Forest Service Road and the Peachland Forest Service Road to Princeton Avenue in Peachland.
It has been plowed, graded, sanded and directional signage is in place.
RELATED: Lengthy detours for Summerlanders cut off by rock slide
The maximum speed limit is 50 kilometres an hour and drivers using this route should have winter tires.
“Using this route to travel between the communities of Summerland and Peachland will be approximately 45 minutes faster than using the 201 Forest Service Road,” Cousins said.
Construction continues at Callan Road to create a two-lane detour around the slide area.
The detour will accommodate commercial vehicles, and is expected to open early next week, should no unexpected challenges arise.
#BCHwy97 rock slide update (will require a few tweets): slope movement continues this AM, so closure remains for safety reasons; no estimated time of opening. Drilling has resumed while slope monitoring continues. Heavier drilling equipment cannot be used due to instability. pic.twitter.com/eE1wyPxiH5
— BC Transportation (@TranBC) February 7, 2019
More updates to come.
