Coquihalla Highway expected to stay closed through much of Saturday - Castanet.net
Photo: Ministry of Transportation
A sinkhole has damaged the Coquihalla Highway.
DriveBC says the estimated reopening time for both directions of Highway 5 is still likely to be 7:30 p.m.
The next update is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Drivers are still being forced to detour around the closure via Highway 3 or Highway 1.
Crews are getting close to repairing the sinkhole south of the Great Bear Snowshed on the Coquihalla Highway Saturday.
In an update Saturday afternoon, DriveBC gave an estimated time of reopening for both directions of Highway 5 at 7:30 p.m.
DriveBC's next update on the closure is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Drivers are still being forced to detour around the closure using Highway 3 or Highway 1.
It appears the Coquihalla Highway will remain closed for much of Saturday.
In an update Saturday morning, DriveBC says the highway between Merritt and Hope remains closed in both directions, following overnight repair work on a sinkhole south of the Great Bear Snowshed.
DriveBC says its next update on the closure likely won't come until 4 p.m., but notes that this is not an estimated time of reopening. No estimated time of reopening has been given at this time.
The sinkhole was first noticed Thursday evening. While the damage initially led to the closure of northbound lanes through Friday, southbound traffic was closed as well Friday night.
The Coquihalla Highway remains closed in both directions after it was closed through the night for emergency sinkhole repairs.
The sinkhole was first discovered just south of the Great Bear Snowshed Thursday evening, forcing the closure of northbound lanes of the highway through Friday.
But the highway was closed in both directions Friday at 9 p.m. as crews worked to repair the damage, and the full closure lasted through the night.
The Ministry of Transportation said the sinkhole was caused by pipeline boring work on the Trans Mountain pipeline in the area.
DriveBC has not provided an estimated time of reopening, but a new update on the situation is expected at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.
Drivers have been forced to detour around the closure using Highway 3 or Highway 1.
