The B.C. government is banning commercial trucks from using the far left lanes on part of the Coquihalla Highway in an attempt to reduce the impact of spin-outs during the icy winter months.
The "No Trucks in the Left Lane" pilot program begins this week on a 17-kilometre stretch of the Coquihalla located between Hope and Merritt that includes Snowshed Hill – the spot where trucks spin out most frequently, according to the province.
"Over the past couple of winter seasons, commercial vehicles on the Coquihalla have been spinning out in climbing sections more frequently during storms," the Ministry of Transportation said on its website.
"In fact, last winter, 33 of 35 extended closures on the Coquihalla during last winter involved commercial vehicles."
Officials believe by restricting the trucks from using the leftmost lane, traffic flow will be less impacted by spin-outs, and crews will be able to reopen the highway more quickly following crashes and other accidents.
The program could expand to other select routes in the Interior, the ministry said.
Because the Coquihalla is divided by a concrete barrier, spin-outs can end up blocking an entire half of the highway, making it difficult for emergency vehicles to reach the scene as traffic piles up behind the crash.
Plows sometimes also get caught up in the traffic, the government said, which lets snow continue to accumulate on the roadway and add to already treacherous conditions.
