Construction season begins across Interior highways

Construction is ramping up across roadways in B.C.’s southern Interior, with improvements coming to 485 kilometres of highways and side roads.

“Maintaining high-quality roads is critical to maintaining connections for people, especially people living in more remote areas,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “The improvements we’re making across the region are going to make travel safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.”

B.C. government officials said about $120 million will be devoted to resurfacing roads in the southern interior alone.

This year, a number of projects will be kicked off, including 51 kilometres of resurfacing work set for Highway 3A from the Kootenay Lake Bridge to Balfour.

That project will include some side roads in that area.

A 42-kilometre stretch of Highway 95 from Canal Flats to Windermere will also get some resurfacing.

Drivers are asked to obey construction zone speed limits and directions from on-site staff while work is underway.

Details on each of the southern Interior construction projects can be found below.

• Highway 1 Spences Bridge to Venables Valley Road and area side roads (32 kilometres).
  • Conventional resurfacing
•  Highway 95 Canal Flats to Windermere (42 kilometres).
  • Conventional resurfacing
• Highway 97C Aspen Grove to Brake Check (16 kilometres)
  • Conventional resurfacing
• Highway 97 Plett Road to Ewing Road (20 kilometres)
  • Conventional resurfacing
• Highway 5 Birch Island to Mad River (26 kilometres)
  • Conventional resurfacing
• Highway 97C Silver Creek to Pennask Brake Check (23 kilometres).
  • Conventional resurfacing
• Highway 3 Nighthawk Road to Osoyoos and Highway 97 U.S. border to Junction Highway 3 and area side roads (56 kilometres).
  • Conventional resurfacing
• Highway 3A Kootenay Lake Bridge to Balfour and area side roads (51 kilometres).
  • Conventional resurfacing
• Highway 1 Valleyview to Kokanee Way, Highway 5 Inks Lake Hill Southbound and Shuswap Road (40 kilometres).
  • Conventional resurfacing
• Highway 97A Swan Lake to Armstrong (14 kilometres)
  • Hot-in-place recycled asphalt resurfacing
• Highway 5 Merritt to Helmer (28 kilometres)
  • Hot-in-place recycling asphalt resurfacing
• Wardner Area and St. Mary’s Lake Road (28 kilometres)
  • Graded aggregate sealcoat resurfacing
• Highway 6 West Kettle Forest Service Road to Brake Check (nine kilometres)
  • Graded aggregate sealcoat resurfacing