Road closures: Highway 7 reopens westbound for people stranded in Hope, B.C.

Vancouver -

An escape route has been cleared for travellers who spent days marooned in Hope, B.C., due to storm-triggered landslides, the government announced Wednesday.

The province said crews have made enough progress clearing debris to allow Highway 7 to be reopened west of Hope at 5 p.m., but only in a limited capacity.

"This opening will be limited to westbound traffic only and is only open to passenger vehicles," the Ministry of Transportation said in a statement. "The intent of this opening is to allow those people stranded in Hope to make their way toward the Lower Mainland."

After those travellers have been evacuated, the province is closing Highway 7 between Agassiz and Hope once again to allow crews to continue repair work, but the ministry said emergency vehicles will still be able to use the route.

Several highways remain closed in the province's south following the intense storm that sent mud, rocks and trees onto roadways on Sunday and Monday, killing at least one person near Lillooet and stranding hundreds more in their vehicles in different locations.

Some routes are reopening for emergency access, however.

Earlier on Wednesday, officials confirmed Highway 7 had reopened near Agassiz for single-lane alternating traffic, though only for emergency or essential access.

"This is for people who have urgent needs," Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said at a news conference. "There was some unnecessary congestion on Highway 7 last night that impeded some of the efforts … that is why I aske the public to please still avoid that area if your travel is not absolutely essential."

Officials also said crews were working to clear and repair Highway 3, or the Crowsnest Highway. Fleming said it's expected the highway will be open for emergency access by the end of the weekend.

"It will likely be restricted traffic. We'll want to get trucks queued up to where they need to be and we want emergency vehicles to have access," Fleming said, saying heavy equipment will also need to get through to "get the highway to a much higher state of functionality."

Assessments and repair plans for other routes are still ongoing and in general, people are being asked to avoid travel altogether, especially if it's non-essential.

"Our immediate priority … is to re-establish connections from the Lower Mainland to the Interior and the north parts of the province," Fleming said.

"We know how vitally important it is to open routes and to have supply chains moving. That is our focus."

An updated list of road closures is available on Drive BC's website.