Highway 99 reopens after multiple days closed due to mudslide
Highway 99 has reopened between Pemberton and Lillooet, the provincial Ministry of Transportation announced Saturday afternoon.
The highway had been closed since the evening of Dec. 1 due to mudslides.
The ministry says weight restrictions are in place on the route from just north of Pemberton through to Lillooet.
"Regular passenger vehicles such as cars, SUVs, vans and trucks under a gross vehicle weight of 14,500 kilograms are able to travel on this corridor, but commercial vehicles cannot be safely accommodated," the ministry's statement reads.
Highway 99 is also one of several routes between the Lower Mainland and the B.C. Interior that are restricted to essential travel only. The ministry says checkpoints will be in place to enforce travel restrictions.
"The highway infrastructure is vulnerable following recent storms," the ministry said. "The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is monitoring the weather and the performance of the highway. People should be aware that Highway 99 and others could be closed at any time if conditions change."
The stretch of highway that was closed for much of this week is the same stretch where at least four people died in mid-November, when the first of a series of storms passed over the area, triggering a massive mudslide.
A fifth person is missing and presumed dead.
There were no injuries reported after the latest mudslide, but the ministry said there was a "substantial" amount of debris that needed to be cleaned off the road before it could be reopened.
Highway 99 was one of three highways between the Lower Mainland and the Interior that reopened with restrictions after the mid-November storm.
It was then closed again, pre-emptively, as additional storms battered the province last weekend.
The highway had only been open for a few hours on Wednesday, Dec. 1, before the latest slides forced it to close again.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city, marking the first franchise in Canada
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.