Motorist heading to and from B.C. this summer can breath a sigh of relief – for now, the Western Standard has learned.
Plans to shut down the Trans Canada Hwy. east of Golden to fix a windy stretch of mountain road are now on hold for this year.
The B.C. government had planned to shut traffic down in both directions to allow for the twinning and doubling to four lanes of four kilometres of road in the treacherous Kicking Horse Pass, just east of the B.C. town.
It will take four years to complete the $601 million project.
B.C. officials say it’ll be shut for a maximum of 30 weeks over that time frame and no more than 15 weeks per year.
“The competitive selection process is ongoing for the final phase of the Kicking Horse Canyon Project. The Request for Proposals was issued in late 2019, and the contract is expected to be awarded this summer,” said a statement to the Western Standard from the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
“While early works construction is expected to begin later this year, the first full closures of Hwy. 1 won’t take place until spring 2021.”
When the closures do happen travellers would have to use Hwy. 3 through southern Alberta to get into B.C. adding hours to the drive. Drivers could also be diverted on Hwy. 93 through Radium Hot Springs and then north to Golden on Hwy. 95 — a detour of 103 kilometres.
During the summer, an average of 12,000 vehicles a day use the pass.
Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard
Dave Naylor is News Editor & Calgary Bureau Chief of the Western Standard based in the Calgary Headquarters. He served as City Editor of the Calgary Sun & covered Alberta news for nearly 40 years.
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