A landslide closed both directions of Highway 97 north of Summerland on Aug. 28, 2023.
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October 22, 2023 - 12:00 PM
A portion of Highway 97 between Summerland and Peachland will be closed on Oct. 24, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is closing the highway to blast away part of the rockwall, according to a press release from Oct. 20.
This blasting is part of the ministry’s response to the rockslide which closed the highway in September.
READ MORE: Highway 97 slide near Summerland sends drivers down dangerous forestry road
The goal is to prevent future rockslides by removing what the ministry calls “slide mass.”
The ministry says there will be more closures for blasting through October and November, and will provide information closer to the closures.
Once the slide mass is removed the ministry will continue construction through the winter. The ministry is going to stabilize the area with bolts and rock anchors.
The ministry says Highway 97 will have two lanes of traffic throughout the winter.
It cautions drivers about the possibility of using the detour routes in the winter and advises, “drivers should be prepared with good winter tires, food, water and fuel.”
For more information about detour routes and the rockslide prevention efforts go to the DriveBC website.
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