B.C.’s Coquihalla Highway reopens to commercial traffic | CBC News

The highway had been closed to all travel since Nov. 15.

Effective Monday, the Coquihalla, also known as Highway 5, is available to commercial vehicles with a minimum licensed gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 11,794 kilograms.

Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said around-the-clock work by crews to make temporary repairs was a “remarkable feat” of engineering.

Permanent repairs to the stretch will take longer, Fleming said, and will occur as essential traffic flows through the corridor. There is no date set for when the highway will open to all traffic.

“Today’s reopening of the Coquihalla Highway is a testament to the strong working relationship between the B.C. Road Builders and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure,” said Kelly Scott, president of the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association, in a statement.

Route will take longer

With most commercial vehicles moving to Highway 5, travel restrictions will be lifted from Highway 3 at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 21, allowing the route between Hope and Princeton to be used for non-essential travel.

Travel restrictions have also been lifted from Highway 99 between Pemberton and Lillooet. However, vehicles over 14,500 kilograms GVW are still not permitted on this section of Highway 99.

There will be checkpoints at Hope and Merritt to ensure non-essential traffic is kept off the Coquihalla Highway on Dec. 20.

Some sections of the road only have two lanes open, officials said, noting that the route will take 45 minutes longer than usual to travel in ideal weather conditions.

The province is still urging people not to travel on B.C.’s highway system unless it is essential.

Highway 1, which is still closed through the Fraser Canyon, is expected to be open in mid-January.