As one major project on Highway 1 through the Fraser and Thompson canyons comes to an end, another is getting underway, while travellers along Highway 8 between Spences Bridge and Merritt can expect to see work on the majority of the 13 sites under construction substantially completed by the end of November.
The restoration of a grade separation between Highway 1 and the CPKC mainline at Tank Hill, 14 kilometres east of Lytton, is now largely complete, with the new bridge over the railway line open to two lanes of traffic. This eliminates delays caused by trains crossing the highway, which has been the case since the highway was reopened in January 2022 following the atmospheric river of November 2021.
That event severely impacted the highway and the CPKC mainline, and closed the highway for more than 10 weeks. Work to remove the temporary highway detour has started, and will be completed by the end of October. At the same time, the third lane on the bridge — a truck-climbing lane for southbound travellers — will also be completed. The road approaches to the new bridge have been paved, lines have been painted, and signage, safety barriers, and safety reflectors have bee installed. All remaining work is expected to be complete in early November.
Replacement of the overhead bridge on Highway 1 at Sackum, 22 kilometres east of Lytton, will start in the coming months. A contractor has been selected for the project, which will see the aging bridge replaced by a new two-lane structure with a 75-year design life. The highway at the site will be realigned, which will entail construction of a new roadway embankment and new pavement structure. The realignment will see the removal of the sub-standard passing lane north of the bridge.
The project will cost approximately $22.5 million, and is expected to be complete in summer 2027. To stay up-to-date about the work at Sackum, go to gov.bc.ca/sackumoverheadbridge.
On Highway 8, work has been completed at eight sites, with permanent repairs underway at 13 other sites. This highway was also badly damaged by the November 2021 atmospheric river, and remained closed to all traffic for nearly a year.
At Sites 9 and 10 (14 to 15.3 kilometres east of Spences Bridge), road widening and utility relocations have been completed, and twin culverts were installed at Site 10B to improve highway drainage. Most of the roadwork is nearing completion, with paving to follow soon.
Construction of two new permanent bridge structures is well underway, with the foundations and substructure complete. Since the highway reopened in November 2022, two temporary single-lane bridges have been in place at Sites 9 and 10.
Permanent repairs at Sites 16–19 (6.6 to 8.7 kilometres east of Spences Bridge) have also started. They will include construction of permanent road surfaces, the installation of concrete barriers, and large rock armouring (riprap) to improve the highway’s resilience.
Repair work at Site 22 (Curnow Bridge) near Spences Bridge is underway, along with work at Sites 12–15 and 20–21. Drivers should note that single-lane alternating traffic is in place at all the above sites while construction is carried out, and that intermittent closures may take place to allow for work to be done safely and efficiently.
Check www.drivebc.ca for information about highway closures. To find out more about the ongoing work along Highway 8, including before-and-after photos, go to gov.bc.ca/highway8recovery.
