$60 million for shifting section of Highway 99 near Lillooet | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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$60 million for shifting section of Highway 99 near Lillooet

Image Credit: Contributed by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

LILLOOET - A solution may be coming for the '10-mile slide' area of Highway 99 that caused the highway’s closure earlier this year.

The province is putting $60 million into the section of road 17 kilometres northeast of Lillooet. This will go towards about 400 soil anchors above the shifting highway and a shear-resistant wall below, along with a rebuilding of the highway itself, according to a B.C. government media release.

Designs will be finalized in spring of 2017 with construction following in summer of 2017.

The slow moving slide has been a problem since at least 1988. Known as '10-mile slide’ the area is about 200 meters wide and 300 m long. The ground underneath the highway slowly shifts, sliding down the mountain side. The problem was highlighted in October when it caused the highway to be closed for eight days, leaving some First Nation communities with long detours.

Xaxli’p First Nations Chief Darrell Bob says the highways is a lifeline for his people and hopes the money will provide a solution.

"Xaxli'p welcomes the long overdue fix, and remains cautiously optimistic that it will finally provide a solution to a problem that has stressed our region for over 30 years," Bob says in the release.


To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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