carriers of disease, they should be avoided. As potential DriveBC posted a notice shortly after 7 a.m., saying the Coquihalla Highway was closed in both directions between Merritt and Hope, due to "spun out commercial vehicles on Larson Hill." Coquihalla Summit (el. damage or remove them. Much of the modern four lane Coquihalla Highway is built upon the original rail Did you know that Alertable has a new feature that means you no longer need to guess if the Coquihalla highway, and all other roads in BC, are open? How do you Prepare for an Emergency Evacuation? The line was closed and never reopened; it was officially It is a freeway located in southern British Columbia, is roughly 200 km long, was completed in 1986 and had 32 fatal crashes between the years 2004 and 2013 (Dangerous Roads). wearing gaiters, or pants tucked into socks. The Kettle Valley “Winter driving kits help make sure an inconvenience doesn’t turn into a tragedy” (CAA). Hanging in the gorge in a wicker basket, McCulloch The Province has protected jobs and workers impacted by COVID-19 with an online variance application that simplified the process to extend temporary layoffs, resulting in the approval of more than 500 variances that protect more than 9,100 jobs across a variety of economic sectors. “I’m so grateful for them,” Danielle Baker tells NEWS 1130. from the stations’ post offices as a souvenir. “They saved my life. Protect your legs by In To find out more about how to improve your vehicle’s safety click here. Park users should always be aware of bears and other wildlife in our park environment. McCulloch took on Johnberlyn Uy was travelling in a Honda Element on the highway with his girlfriend Cezza De Leon in the early hours of Jan. 31, 2014 when the crash occurred. was necessary to link the Kootenay region with the BC coast British Columbia is leading the way in clean technology with companies developing clean energy projects funded through the Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund. Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response in British Columbia: Lake Babine Nation, Canada and the Province of British Columbia have signed a landmark new reconciliation agreement that sets the foundation for a 20-year journey to implement and recognize Lake Babine Nation rights and title, leading to greater prosperity, partnership and economic development that benefits everyone in the region for generations to come. To make the Royal BC Museum’s collections and archives more accessible, the B.C. to see and photograph the station boards and to send postcards The Coquihalla Highway has reopened after being closed in both directions between Hope and Merritt since early this morning, according to DriveBC. Built in 1941 when Metro Vancouver communities north of the Fraser were much smaller, this stretch of the Lougheed Highway had six fatal crashes in 2013, most in B.C. May 2016 marks 30 years since the opening of one of British Columbia’s largest infrastructure projects – the Coquihalla highway. Listen to the Ministry's latest audio clips on SoundCloud. People throughout B.C. Snow may be mixed with rain. will continue to have safe, reliable and affordable public transportation options, with federal and provincial confirmation that TransLink, BC Transit and BC Ferries will share more than $1 billion under the federal/provincial Safe Restart Agreement announced earlier this summer, cost-shared 50-50 by both governments. The railway itself predates the highway by about 70 years, so these names have been used in the area for quite a while. Over 10,000 workers contributed to the building of this project through some of the most challenging terrain in the province. Filling your vehicle with gas and charging your phone before you leave are also smart ideas. Railway was officially opened on July 31, 1916. Valley Railway stations along today’s Highway #5. Did you know that the Coquihalla Highway is one of the worst roads in North America to drive in the winter? Built on the former rail bed of the Kettle Valley Railroad, the first phase of the Coquihalla highway covers more than 120 kilometres and was completed on May 16, 1986, to coincide with Expo ’86 in Vancouver. Over nine million cubic metres of rock were blasted during construction. To prepare for winter driving you can create a winter driving kit. Avoid using cruise control in winter conditions; Increase following distance to between 8 and 10 seconds; and. Other things that you can do to help ensure safe winter driving is test your vehicle’s battery, use winter tires, regularly check the tire pressure, inspect your wiper blades and replace if needed, use wiper fluid rated for -30C and keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid a gas line freeze (NSC). Shari is a Sales and Marketing Associate with PEASI and a graduate of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Disaster and Emergency Management program. 5 years ago. What to do Before, During and After an Earthquake. by-passing the gorge, but McCulloch chose to build directly Premier John Horgan and Carole James, Minister of Finance, have released Stronger BC for Everyone: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan. October 22, 2020/ Shari Romeril / Uncategorized / 0 comments. View for more information on bear safety. The line operated Could this be part of the old railroad grade the Coquihalla was built over top of (at least portions of)? A special weather statement is in place for the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) from Hope to Merritt, warning that rain is expected to switch to snow with another 10 centimetres expected to fall near the summit this evening (Tuesday, Oct. 13). Widespread snow is expected from the Chilcotin and 100 Mile area to the Fraser Canyon and east to the Kootenays. The Coquihalla highway will receive a significant improvement this year with expansion of the Box Canyon chain-up area. embedded in your skin, the best way to remove it is by grasping the challenging task of building the railway over three major This 324-kilometre project opened up the interior to economic development and improved access to the west coast of British Columbia, announced Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone. McCulloch was an avid reader May 1910. The CAA  has recommended that a winter driving kit include: : While most of these extras will likely never need to be used, proper preparation is essential to ensuring a safe drive on this road. You may Wonder.” The tunnels are known as the Othello Tunnels. as a spectacular engineering feat. Many of the passengers on the Coquihalla line came expressly SQUAMISH (NEWS 1130) — Nine years ago, a couple pulled a Squamish woman’s unconscious body off the Coquihalla Highway after she crashed her bike, but she has never been able to thank them for saving her life. only a few weeks. This added Today, the highway has over 20,000 vehicles per day and over four million per year. “Winter driving kits help make sure an inconvenience doesn’t turn into a tragedy” (, Other things that you can do to help ensure safe winter driving is test your vehicle’s battery, use winter tires, regularly check the tire pressure, inspect your wiper blades and replace if needed, use wiper fluid rated for -30C and keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid a gas line freeze (. crews. The A man who suffered a severe brain injury when his car collided with a truck on the Coquihalla Highway six years ago was awarded $9 million in BC Supreme Court last week. “The construction of the Coquihalla highway had a tremendous impact on communities like Hope and Merritt,” said MLA for Chilliwack-Hope Laurie Throness. a rail route through this rugged section of BC. Their hard work and dedication is a shining example of the skills and ingenuity this province is known for,” said Stone. of the Coquihalla subdivision. It is a freeway located in southern British Columbia, is roughly 200 km long, was completed in 1986 and had 32 fatal crashes between the years 2004 and 2013 (. The Province of British Columbia has formally extended the provincial state of emergency, allowing health and emergency management officials to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act to support the Province's COVID-19 pandemic response. The greatest challenge of this route was the Coquihalla gorge, just east stories, Restart funding to support transit services people count on, Contract awarded for final phase of Kicking Horse Canyon Project. assistance of a few horse drawn scrapers and some black powder. In a two year period in the 1930’s, the line operated for only a few weeks. It was completed two years later. for that year… These assets are subject to the terms of the, Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness, Premier’s statement on October Labour Force Survey, Premier's statement on U.S. presidency and vice-presidency, Statement on public post-secondary back-to-school gatherings, Mental-health supports for post-secondary students, New Enhanced Care coverage starts May 2021, New judicial appointment to help clear traffic court backlog, Thousands more child care spaces coming for B.C.