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[splashflash]

Some news from the recent flooding in B.C.:

This means that Highway 3 (Hope to Princeton) is the only way in and out of the Lower Mainland by truck. This road is not designed for heavy, high-speed traffic. It goes over two high passes and has difficult winter driving conditions. More severe weather is forecast over the next few days.

The Hope-Princeton was rebuilt together on the west end together with construction of the Coquihalla for Expo 86. The approx 35km from Hope to Manning Park entrance is good 4 lane but un-divided highway.  I believe the straightening and addition of passing lanes near Sunday Summit completed a few years ago was the only significant work since 1986.  The highway receives less snow than the Coquihalla or even Stevens Pass on US 2 to the south. 

Before the Coquihalla opened I can remember huge platoons of vehicles, but that largely disappeared after the Coq opened.  For a long time this was the fastest route from the Coast to Okanagan cities from Vernon south.

There are some steep grades near Sunshine Valley and west of Princeton.  The rest of the Crowsnest should see an uptick of traffic volume but also some steep grades at Anarchist Mountain, the Salmo-Creston, and Bonanza Pass.

[Dougtone]

From what I am reading, the timeline for reopening BC 5 (Coquihalla Highway) to traffic will be sometime in January, even though there will be reduced capacity while they continue to make repairs.

https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/news/news/BC_Interior/Daunting_task_20_sites_5_bridges_on_the_Coquihalla_heavily_damaged_or_washed_away/#fs_105587

[AsphaltPlanet]

Updated aerial photography of Highway 8 between Spences Bridge and Merritt.

This highway was pretty much completely destroyed by the flooding:

[Bruce]

The Coq (Highway 5) will reopen to commercial traffic on December 20, about a month ahead of schedule. Not a full freeway like before and with reduced speed limits.

https://globalnews.ca/news/8453299/coquihalla-highway-reopening-timeline-update/

Highway 3 will be opened for limited non-essential travel as well, thanks to this.

[kkt]

Wow, the deserve some congratulations!

[splashflash]

Updated aerial photography of Highway 8 between Spences Bridge and Merritt.

This highway was pretty much completely destroyed by the flooding:

Thanks for this.  The northwestern section was the windiest and incurred the bulk of the damage.  Perhaps a new route along a logging road through to the Nicoamen Peninsula would be better.

[AsphaltPlanet]

There is a guy who has been chronicling the reconstruction of the Coq:

[AsphaltPlanet]

The Coq is open (to commercial traffic):

[kkt]

 

[Bruce]

The Coquihalla Highway has now reopened to all traffic, but is still not a full freeway.

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/coquihalla-highway-reopens-to-regular-traffic-b-c-state-of-emergency-ends

[Kniwt]

The CBC has a long report, with lots of photos and video, showing how the Coquihalla Highway (BC 5) was reopened after November's storm.
https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/coquihalla-repaired-35-days

B.C.’s transportation minister Rob Fleming described the Dec. 20, 2021, reopening of the highway to commercial traffic and buses as “one of the most remarkable engineering feats in recent memory in the province of British Columbia.”

... The cost of the temporary repairs required to reopen the Coquihalla, also known as Highway 5, was between about $45 million and $55 million, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

It took more than 300 workers and 200 pieces of equipment 35 days to reopen the highway.

[Alps]

The CBC has a long report, with lots of photos and video, showing how the Coquihalla Highway (BC 5) was reopened after November's storm.
https://www.cbc.ca/newsinteractives/features/coquihalla-repaired-35-days

B.C.’s transportation minister Rob Fleming described the Dec. 20, 2021, reopening of the highway to commercial traffic and buses as “one of the most remarkable engineering feats in recent memory in the province of British Columbia.”

... The cost of the temporary repairs required to reopen the Coquihalla, also known as Highway 5, was between about $45 million and $55 million, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

It took more than 300 workers and 200 pieces of equipment 35 days to reopen the highway.

https://goo.gl/maps/23r79yFU8UT8e6wYA

[Bruce]

North end of the Granville Bridge will look a bit different by next year: the northern loops will be demolished to make way for development.

City of Vancouver is seeking a contractor to demolish the north loops of the Granville Bridge in downtown. Work could begin later in 2022.

It'll be replaced with a new H-shaped street grid, and 6 towers with ~1 million sq ft of housing. #vanpoli #vanrehttps://t.co/dy0OWP1Sbi pic.twitter.com/pp3SNsau1o

— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) March 25, 2022

[jakeroot]

North end of the Granville Bridge will look a bit different by next year: the northern loops will be demolished to make way for development.

[clipped]

Definitely a bit overdue. I don't think it's imperative to improve Drake St for traffic coming off the bridge, but I would imagine it may be worth installing an advanced left turn from Drake onto the bridge, as I think that will be the main access route for traffic from Pacific; going around via Hornby and Drake may clog up quick with the change to protected right turn phasing due to improvements to the cycle path along Hornby.

Edit: never mind, looks like Drake is being converted to one-way. Didn't know that. Perhaps they can add the advanced left turn at Davie and Granville instead. Traffic travelling beyond Davie likely isn't trying to access the Granville Bridge, so no reason to make large-scale changes besides that.