Highway 97 partially reopens after massive rockslide

A highway in B.C.’s Okanagan has reopened to single-lane, alternating traffic nearly a week earlier than expected.

The Ministry of Transportation and infrastructure announced Highway 97 between Summerland and Peachland was back open as of 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11.

There is no estimated time the highway will fully reopen in both directions.

The stretch of highway was closed on Aug. 28 after a massive rockslide that sent around 3,000 cubic metres of rock tumbling onto the route between Bridgeman and North Beach roads, about one kilometre north of Summerland.

Four properties adjacent to the rockfall were placed on evacuation alert by the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.

Transportation officials originally estimated the roadway would open to traffic over the weekend of Sept. 16, and cited the size and complexity of the slide as challenges to the reopening effort.

In Monday’s update, the ministry said crews have completed construction on a lock-block wall that will protect the highway from falling rocks.

It said work is still ongoing on a 150-metre-long berm between that wall and the bottom of the slope.

“The berm is partially complete and has significantly slowed movement of the material at the site, allowing the furthest lane from the slope to reopen to single-lane-alternating travel,” the ministry explained.

Officials said drivers should expect delays of up to half an hour in the area during peak travel times, and reminded them that the road could be closed again with little notice if it’s deemed unsafe.

The detour routes on forest service roads will remain open and maintained in case they are needed.