Highway 20 Remains Closed, Clean Up Underway

By 250 News

BELLA COOLA - Highway 20 leading to Bella Coola will remain closed indefinitely due to washouts, rock falls and flooding caused by an extraordinary rainfall. Over 200 mm of rain fell in a 24-hour period, causing road or bridge damage at 14 highway and side road locations
between Tatla Lake and Bella Coola. The highway is closed at Tatla Lake, 100 km east of Bella Coola.

Sections of highway up to a kilometre in length have been washed out and many kilometres of highway in the Bella Coola Valley remain under water. Flood waters will have to recede in some areas before further engineering investigations can take place.

Geotechnical and structural engineers are on site conducting assessments of the most seriously affected areas. In the meantime, the ministry's maintenance contractor, Interior Roads Limited (IRL), has begun work restoring the highway where it has been deemed safe, such as putting water streams back in their original channels and protecting the main structures on Highway 20.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is doing everything  possible to reopen the highway as quickly as possible. However, the  safety of motorists and repair crews is paramount and further assessment is necessary before providing a definitive time frame for
restoration of the highway. Initial indications are that the repairs will take weeks.

The ministry and its maintenance contractor are working closely with the Provincial Emergency Program and the local Emergency Operations Centres to ensure a coordinated response.

Motorists are advised to check DriveBC (www.drivebc.ca) for updates.

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