Work continues today, Feb. 8, on the Callan Road detour around a rockslide on Highway 97 north of Summerland that has shut the highway down since last Saturday.
Image Credit: TWITTER/@TranBC
February 08, 2019 - 1:58 PM
SUMMERLAND - While drilling and scaling continues on a rockslide that has shut down Highway 97 between Summerland and Peachland for almost a week, the province says another alternate route on the west side of Okanagan Lake is now available.
The Ministry of Transportation says light vehicles, less than five tonnes, can use Trout Creek Forest Service Road between Peachland and Summerland.
The route, which 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, is about 45 minutes faster than the 201 Forest Service Road, the ministry says. This new detour is being plowed and sanded but vehicles should be equipped with winter tires and keep to a 50 km/h speed limit.
A new west side route around the slide area on Highway 97 is now open, using the Princeton Summerland Road to the Trout Creek and Peachland Forest Service Roads.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Minstry of Transportation
The 201 Forest Service Road remains the fastest route to Kelowna for Penticton residents, although ministry officials said a recent serious accident at the north end of that road may result in a closure for several hours today.
Commercial vehicles are advised to use Highway 97C, Highway 5A, Highway 3 and Highway 3A to get around the slide.
Crews continued to monitor slope movement today, Feb. 8, after Highway 97 between Summerland and Peachland was been shut down due to a large rockslide last Saturday.
Efforts to clean up the debris were stalled yesterday when a large crack was discovered surrounding the slide site, making the slide area too unstable for anything but hand labour.
Plans were announced yesterday for a detour using Callan Road, which parallels the highway through the slide site.
Ministry officials confirmed a "silt bluff soil failure" also occurred just south of Summerland today. The highway was not affected and minstry officials say this type of slide is fairly typical for this time of year in the area.
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