The B.C. government will be installing new sensors on Highway 5A between Kamloops and Merritt in a bid to improve safety for drivers and residents.

In a news release, the Ministry of Transportation says the sensors will be installed about three kilometres north of Merritt this spring with construction expected to wrap up by the fall.

“Weigh-in-motion and automatic vehicle-identification systems will monitor commercial vehicles at highway speeds using sensors built into and above the highway,” the Ministry said, noting these sensors will be first exclusively virtual system in the province.

“The sensors will measure real-time safety and vehicle data, such as weight, height and tire conditions, and compare the data against enforced standards. Vehicle data will be relayed directly to mobile Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement officers in the area, enabling more efficient intervention and enforcement of safety standards.”

While the Ministry says Highway 5A is “an important alternative route for the trucking industry” over the Coquihalla which is more susceptible to extreme weather conditions, critics and area residents are calling for ban, as they say the highway is not suited for heavy commercial truck traffic.