In a flash-back to the work done to reopen the Coquihalla following the atmospheric rivers, full highway access along Highway 97 in Cache Creek has been restored.

Just over two-weeks after the highway had to be shut down due to massive washouts by flooding, that major stretch of Highway linking southern and central BC is now fully open to four-lane traffic.

Wendy Coomber with Cache Creek’s Emergency Operations Center says full credit goes to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure crews.

“MOTI had indicated a little while ago that they were expecting to be open for the long weekend,” said Coomber. “We thought, well, two lanes would be great, you know, if it’s not with a pilot car and alternating and all that.”

She notes this is good news for businesses along that corridor.

“They have been opened as they can clean out their parking lots and whatnot and get their employees back in. Some of them have been open for the last week-and-a-half…even two weeks,” noted Coomber. “But traffic has been so restricted in what it could do that nobody really wants to get out of the line-up to go visit any of them.”

Coomber notes the repair work is temporary, with Ministry crews needing to return to complete the permanent repairs. It’s not clear when those permanent repairs may take place.

Highway 97 suffered significant damage due to washouts caused by the flooding in Cache Creek this month, shutting it down for a couple of days earlier this month.

Since reopening, vehicles on that stretch on Highway 97 had been forced into single-lane, alternating traffic guided by a pilot car.

Anyone attempting to use an alternate route to get around that damage would have an extra two or more hours added to their trip.

 

 

Temporary repairs to #BCHwy97 / #BCHwy1 in #CacheCreek are complete and traffic is flowing normally. 🙌🏽 Thanks to everyone for their patience. Cleanup works continue locally – expect minor delays. pic.twitter.com/zyFAToMVvn

— BC Transportation (@TranBC) May 19, 2023