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People won’t be able to travel along B.C.’s Highway 3 without significant delays and detours over the holiday season, says the Ministry of Transportation.
It said a section of the highway between Princeton and Hope was damaged by flooding earlier this week and will be closed for an undetermined amount of time.
“We’re looking to several weeks ahead of us to restore a single lane of traffic,” Janelle Staite, the ministry’s deputy director of the South Coast region, told CBC’s BC Today.
Staite said heavy rain overnight on Monday and Tuesday caused a 50-metre section of the highway, between Princeton and Hope, to wash out.
Flood damage is seen on Highway 3 in this handout image. (B.C. Ministry of Transportation)
She said the heavy rain overwhelmed infrastructure, resulting in a plugged culvert 42 kilometres east of the Highway 3 and Highway 5 junction. Crews have been dispatched to work on the site.
People can still travel between the B.C. Interior and the Lower Mainland through a detour over the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5).
However, the Coquihalla has also recently seen intermittent closures and travel advisories due to snowy weather and crashes.
WATCH | Highway 3 to remain closed for weeks following washout:
Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne said his community is still recovering from the devastating floods of 2021.
Now, with Highway 3 closed for an indefinite amount of time and the Coquihalla frequently shut down, Coyne said residents are feeling anxious.
Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne is seen during the 2021 floods, which are still weighing on the community four years later. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)
He said the majority of goods in the B.C. Interior come from ports on the coast, and much of it is transported along Highway 3.
The mayor added that Princeton also produces and distributes mining and forestry products which need Highway 3 for distribution.
“We depend on that transportation link to the Lower Mainland,” Coyne said.
More than just keeping shelves stocked and industry lines moving, Coyne said Princeton residents are wondering if they will be able to hug loved ones over the holidays, and if their Christmas presents will arrive in time.
“It does weigh on people,” said Coyne.
With the closure of Highway 3, travellers from the Interior will be bypassing Princeton by using the Coquihalla.
Coyne said Princeton’s tourism industry — including restaurants, coffee shops and service stations — are bracing for a slow season.
Crews work to repair Highway 3 on Wednesday, Dec. 17. (B.C. Ministry of Transportation)
Manning Park Resort posted about the Highway 3 closure on social media, thanking road crews for their efforts.
The resort, which opens this weekend, can still be accessed from Highway 3 via Princeton — but visitors coming from the Lower Mainland will need to make an extended detour to reach the resort.