Highway 97 in Summerland expected to fully reopen before end of July
Highway 97 in Summerland will have been partially closed for 2.5 months if it reopens by the end of July.
After a slide on May 15, the stretch of highway near Lakeshore Drive South was reduced from four lanes to one until the end of June, and it's been down to two lanes since then. There have been numerous closures throughout.
When asked what’s taking so long, a spokesperson for B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation said crews have are “gradually” bringing down pieces of unstable slope, and that the highway is expected to be fully reopened before the end of the month.
“The nature of the unstable material on the slopes requires a cautious removal approach to ensure worker safety and the ability to maintain Highway 97 traffic flow while working at this site,” the spokesperson said in an email.
The construction of a lane-blocking retaining wall was also part of the project.
Motorists are reminded that the highway’s speed limit is reduced to 30 km/hour through the bottleneck.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Dan Walton or call 250-488-3065 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.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.
