A view of Blackwall Bridge, looking west. Immediately beyond the bridge, concrete stringers are being installed to support the westbound lanes of Grizzly Viaduct. (Photo via Tran BC)
There will be a five day closure on the Trans Canada Highway through the Kicking Horse Canyon next week.
The highway will be closed to all traffic from Golden to the Castle Junction from noon on Tuesday, April 11, until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, April 15. It’s a much shorter spring closure this year when compared to the five-week closure in spring 2022.
“The closure is necessary to prepare for a localized traffic shift that will enable the contractor to continue work on structures near the western end of the project,” the Ministry of Transportation said in a news release, noting the shorter closure this year is due to the amount of work already done on that stretch of highway.
“Roadside signs will provide advance notification of the closure and direction to the alternate route. Drivers are advised to use caution and watch for wildlife, school children and school buses while travelling the alternate route.”
As has been the case during previous extended closures, all through traffic will have to detour onto highways 93S and 95, adding as much as 1.5 hours of travel time.
Local and commuter traffic will once again have brief access through the construction zone twice a day. They will all be escorted by a pilot vehicle during half-hour periods beginning at 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., with similar escorts also in place for school buses and emergency vehicles.
The next full-day closure of the highway is set to take place this fall, though it remains to be seen if it will be similar to the nearly ten week closure in Fall 2022.
The ministry also says when completed in winter 2023-24, the 4.8-kilometre section of narrow, winding two-lane highway through the Kicking Horse Canyon will be converted to a modern four-lane highway.
Updates on delays will be available online on DriveBC and on the Kicking Horse Canyon calendar here.
