BC Highway Construction

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by 240glt

^ It's funny, I spent 25 years in BC and never went up that way. Then in '06 my dad retired and bought the place on Bridge. I was pretty amazed at the country up there... it's been really neat watching Interlakes grow over the past 6-7 years from basically nothing.. Just wish that they'd left the Fish-On pub alone

I know my parents were so happy when Rona opened up.

[craner]

Definitly need Fedral help for the TCH through BC.
Ironically the worst portions of the highway are in Glacier & Revelstoke National Parks. Terrible road surface and stretches with no lines painted on the road.

[Canadian Mind]

Originally Posted by craner

Definitly need Fedral help for the TCH through BC.
Ironically the worst portions of the highway are in Glacier & Revelstoke National Parks. Terrible road surface and stretches with no lines painted on the road.

Don't need lines, law of the sea applies... Stick to the right and yield to larger vehicles. You'll be fine!

[go_leafs_go02]

BC Highways have come so far in the 4-5 years since i moved to BC the first time. Obviously a lot of work yet to be done, but the topography and low population helps determine it.

Priorities should be the continual 4-laning of Highway 1 east of Kamloops, upgrading Highway 1 east of the Gateway Program into Chilliwack, and general safety improvements (more passing lanes, better geometry around corners) on most highways where it is feasible to do so.

[craner]

^I know, I keep checking that website for updates but it's gone quiet. This concerns me as I fear work on the other phases will go into hibernation for years now. And they had all that momentum going from phase to phase.

[Daguy]

^ I think it will slow down unfortunately. I would expect that one piece of Phase 4 will be announced by 2014, but I can't see it as big of a priority as the initial phases. The safety concerns are the blanket for the government's real concern: time saving to provide economic benefits. There's simply more bang for buck in upgrading other segments along the highway.

I was disappointed to see that the date of completion for Monte Creek Phase II pushed back. Around the election time when I was driving to Kamloops it said fall 2014 completion, but the signs now read summer 2015, and little work has been started.

Phase I of Pritchard to Monte Creek is fully underway. Tree clearing in the alignment has mostly been completed, power lines are being relocated, and some initial earthwork on what will be the connecting roads has begun. One of these days I'll stop to take a few pics. Estimated completion time is summer 2014.

Repaving between Chase and Hoffman's Bluff is completed, along with the Neskolith intersection upgrade, which is making my ride a lot smoother I must say!

[Stingray2004]

Originally Posted by Daguy

I was disappointed to see that the date of completion for Monte Creek Phase II pushed back. Around the election time when I was driving to Kamloops it said fall 2014 completion, but the signs now read summer 2015, and little work has been started.

Phase I of Pritchard to Monte Creek is fully underway. Tree clearing in the alignment has mostly been completed, power lines are being relocated, and some initial earthwork on what will be the connecting roads has begun. One of these days I'll stop to take a few pics. Estimated completion time is summer 2014.

BC MoTI press release from today:

Monday, July 29, 2013
PRITCHARD - The start of construction on two projects that will improve safety on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Kamloops was celebrated today by Cathy McLeod, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo and British Columbia's Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Todd Stone.

"The Government of Canada is committed to making sure our roads are safe, modern and efficient," said Parliamentary Secretary McLeod. "By investing in these projects, we are helping to improve safety and ease traffic congestion for residents and travellers along these heavily-used stretches of Highway 1."

"With shovels in the ground on these two projects, we're moving forward on these much anticipated safety improvements to the Trans-Canada Highway," said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone. "It's part of our commitment to continue upgrading the Trans-Canada Highway to four lanes between Kamloops and Alberta, to improve safety for all highway users."

The two Highway 1 projects include Phase 2 of the Monte Creek to Pritchard project and Phase 1 of the Pritchard to Hoffman's Bluff project. The governments of Canada and British Columbia are investing $110.6 million to improve Highway 1 between Monte Creek and Hoffman's Bluff, with the Government of Canada contributing a maximum of $43.6 million through the Building Canada Fund.

http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/0...rovements.html

[craner]

^Thanks for the info Stingray. I guess we'll just watch for the announcements.

[Yahoo]

Just got back from a Kamloops to Alberta border trip. From what I remember this is a list of the construction activity in BC along this route that they claim to be twinning:

1.
2.
3.

That's right - pretty much nothing being done at all.

There were a few short single lane sections that were repaved, and someone was nice enough to add "bump" signs in some of the worst sections. But even the KHC short little "4 km" project (which is 1 km long) looks like it's abandoned. I realize we're in "the between period" though. That's the period where politicians like to look like something is being done, and the long "design" stage where apparently nothing is done. As a result, we never see new projects done until 4-6 years after they completed old ones. They're really keeping up with the snails pace. New signs and website though - if you call that progress. (taxpayers I guess needed new signs and new websites to replace the old inadequate ones lol, but if history repeats itself there will be little to know updates).

There is some minor construction in Salmon Arm - near where they announced a new project (a new project that apparently ignores the extremely narrow bridge that needs to be replaced). But for now I think it's just local construction getting utilities in place for the new Waly-Mart rather than the twinning project which is still in its multi-year design phase (flat land, nothing in the way, easy terrain, long design process lol). Even when that's doubled it's not a big project. There might also be a few feet of construction into Yoho on the Banff side, but I can't tell because the border marking is gone. They recently finished repairing the Yoho bridges that were in danger of collapse so that's a good indication there is no intention to twin the highway near Field anytime soon.

I confirmed that Craigellachie is actually only single lane in the two bridges in the area where BC marked the project complete on the new website. Seems they replaced an old bridge at the end of it's life with a new single lane bridge and they consider that twinned??? They're forgetting 1 lane in each direction isn't "twinned", and of course the second very narrow bridge in that area is also 1 lane.

KHC is nice on the sections that are done, but the 100 km design speed seems a bit fast for some areas around the big bridge. I hate to say it but 90 kph makes more sense there. Sure, it's one of the few places worthy of a center median but the turns are sharp, the shoulders are narrow, and it's still pretty steep - enough to get an inexperienced driver in trouble at 100k. Perhaps just a recommended 90 k would be safer.

Donald and Clanwilliam are great now (but sadly very little roadway is doubled as a result, and the BC government is ignoring the serious safety issues by not putting in center barriers or medians on new sections - Clanwilliam only has them over the bridge, Donald doesn't even have them at all).

My guess for all the foot dragging is perhaps they're waiting word from the feds on funding help (which may never come)? I thought BC brought in a big gasoline tax to help pay for roadworks? In any case the prices of gasoline along the route are in full gouge mode - 30+ cents higher in some areas than others. Repeat tourists & truckers know which towns to avoid.

If they were on the ball designs and funding requests would be made well ahead of time so we don't have 5 year waits on projects that only take 2 years to complete. But politicians like the waits so they can make announcements when it's politically adventitious. Ideally we wouldn't have years where nothing is done and then years with multiple projects and disruptions. I really feel for the truckers and interior BC folks.

The TCH highway closures barely make the news anymore. I talked to a trucker and he said the backup on the August 3rd weekend was the worst he's seen in 30 years of running from BC to Alberta. This was a week after the 8 hr highway closure. I guess he was returning to BC and the traffic was backed up from Golden all the way to Lake Louise. Unfortunately he was stuck in it and unable to take the 7 hr extra detour.

What struck me is the number of easy sections that are still single lane. Ones that should have been done say 30-40 years ago. Some of the new sections they announced near Kamloops I was imagining some difficult dangerous roadway. Turns out that rather than Chase/Golden type terrain, it's mostly Saskatchewan class. You see that all along the drive - easy places to at least build cheap passing lanes, but there is nothing. The excuse some people have given about how difficult it is to build in BC really shows that it's just an excuse, not a reality. If it was really the issue the easy congested sections would be been done years ago. Oh well, minor progress from time to time is much better than the old method of virtually no progress.

[Daguy]

^ I think the message on median barriers has finally sunk in because most of the projects currently announced are proposed to have them. I agree that it is snail's pace in general however.

The widening to four lanes between 10 and 30 St SW in Salmon Arm is underway to coincide with Walmart's opening in November, but it looks like only the more westerly portion is being worked on at the moment. The wait times have been pretty frustrating with all the holiday traffic right now.

I guess I'm just happy that the sections that are currently underway are between Salmon Arm and Kamloops, the main part of the highway I use lol

[Yahoo]

Originally Posted by Daguy

^ The wait times have been pretty frustrating with all the holiday traffic right now.

I guess I'm just happy that the sections that are currently underway are between Salmon Arm and Kamloops, the main part of the highway I use lol

I made about 6 trips through SA in the last couple weeks (visiting someone in the hospital) and I guess I was lucky, I never had to wait anymore than a typical light cycle.

Someday I'll retire in Salmon Arm, I love that little city. The upgrades they've done between there and Kamloops are pretty sweet - although some sections are still awaiting center barriers.

[craner]

Has a Salmon Arm by-pass ever been considered?
I'm really starting to doubt I'll see the TCH twinned through BC in my lifetime.

[Yahoo]

Originally Posted by craner

Has a Salmon Arm by-pass ever been considered?
I'm really starting to doubt I'll see the TCH twinned through BC in my lifetime.

Yes, but I believe it involves an expensive bridge over the Shuswap so it'll likely never happen. Like with the potential Golden bypass I think you'd upset too many locals and businesses to ever do it.

[Metro-One]

For fuck sakes, it is Yahoo's periodic post again, and again everyone falls for it, and again he fails to realize everything explained to him the last time he posted a huge rant.

Yahoo, instead of doing this every few months please just go back read you previous rant, and read all the responses to it over the last few pages of this thread.

But or fun, here is quick summary:

Huge portions of the TCH between Kamloops and Alberta are federal, not provincial.

Building highways in BC is insanely expensive compared to Alberta for various geographical and geological reasons.

BC is not linear, we have many other important highways than just the TCH to improve upon, and have been doing so (quick examples are the Cariboo Connecter 4 lanning project to Prince George, the Okanagan corridor 4 lanning projects which are insanely expensive being built along cliffs over hanging lakes)

BC has no major population centers east of Salmon Arm, hence connections between Kamloops / Okanagan / Lower Mainland / Vancouver Island / and now Prince George take priority.

BC is criss-crossed with huge rivers / lakes not found in Alberta, and big bridges are very expensive, and many have recently been built.

I could go on, but it is pointless.

All I can say is my trips to Kamloops this summer have been a breeze from Vancouver with nice freeways the entire length

It is also nice to see all the twinning action in the Cariboo to where my parents live near 100 mile

And to answer Craner's question, yes a by-pass has been toyed with in the past, but it would involve a very long bridge over the lake. Therefore it would be very expensive, also the city of Salmon Arm would probably be against it as would environmentalists, etc...

[240glt]

^ He'll never be happy until he can get to his little shack on Shuswap in 3.5 hours. That's all he really cares about. Should'a bought in Windermere I guess


In other highway news, Got back from my big BC tour, a few notable highway related items.

- NW Stoney Trail around Calgary is awesome! 20 minutes, done. No screwing around at all. SOOOO happy that there is proper Calgary bypass, too bad the SW portion is still so up in the air.

Kootenay Parkway still a nice drive, but lots of SLOOWWW drivers and dirtbags who want to go 140+, few passing opportunities making it a very confrontational highway. It seems to have gotten worse in the past few years

All highways in the Kootenays seem to be the same as always, Hwy 6 from Nakusp to Fauquier is really really rough (badly heaved) and if anyone actually wants to see what a piece of highway worth complaining about looks like, take the Monashee pass. Wow.. my partner who's born & bred Albertan was starting to turn green on the stretch west from Needles. I had fun though.

THey are just about ready to open the new section of 97 above Woods lake, they were painting lines as we went through. Kelowna congestion is as bad as I have ever seen it. Rolling in at OUC, traffic basically stopped, adnd it stayed that way all the way to the bridge. Traffic going in the other direction was backed up for miles.. it's exactly the same as it was when the old floating bridge used to be there. Just goes to show that upgrading road capacity is somewhat futile, as traffic will always grow to fill it. Decided to take Westside road back to Vernon from Westbank.. always a fun & pleasant drive.

Construction south of 70 mile wasn't too bad and didn't have to stop, just slow down.

Highway 5 from Little Fort to the 5/16 interchange is usually an easy drive as the traffic is moderate and there's tonnes of passing but this past weekend it was packed, making for a very slow trip. Saw three crashes involving travel trailers. a new passing stretch was completed at Blue River, but the road could usa a few more

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Hwy 6 from Nakusp to Fauquier is really really rough (badly heaved) and if anyone actually wants to see what a piece of highway worth complaining about looks like, take the Monashee pass. Wow.. my partner who's born & bred Albertan was starting to turn green on the stretch west from Needles. I had fun though.

Kelowna congestion is as bad as I have ever seen it. Rolling in at OUC, traffic basically stopped, adnd it stayed that way all the way to the bridge. Traffic going in the other direction was backed up for miles.. it's exactly the same as it was when the old floating bridge used to be there. Just goes to show that upgrading road capacity is somewhat futile, as traffic will always grow to fill it.

Highway 6 has been like that for a long time. Give them some credit though...they're actually making changes near Lumby and did some paving this year. Once you get past the twisty stuff North of Fauquier the drive to Nakusp and on to Galena Bay is quite nice. Monashee Pass is very fun to drive!

You were driving through Kelowna at the busiest time of the year, so I wouldn't say that's a fair assessment of the traffic there. Even a couple weeks from now will be worlds different on Highway 97 through the City. The bridge has been a huge improvement to the area, though it may not be apparent during the peak tourist season.

[Stingray2004]

Update on the Winfield to Oyama section of Hwy 97:

Looks like it has now been virtually completely line-striped as well as all barrier installed. Wouldn`t be surprised now to see it open within the next day or two:

North End facing north:



North End facing south:



South End facing north:





Facing South



Facing North:

[libtard]

Originally Posted by Stingray2004

Update on the Winfield to Oyama section of Hwy 97:

Looks like it has now been virtually completely line-striped as well as all barrier installed. Wouldn`t be surprised now to see it open within the next day or two:

North End facing north:



North End facing south:



South End facing north:





Facing South



Facing North:

Looks like a slight trickle of water could wash all those hill sides away

[240glt]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

Highway 6 has been like that for a long time. Give them some credit though...they're actually making changes near Lumby and did some paving this year. Once you get past the twisty stuff North of Fauquier the drive to Nakusp and on to Galena Bay is quite nice. Monashee Pass is very fun to drive!

You were driving through Kelowna at the busiest time of the year, so I wouldn't say that's a fair assessment of the traffic there. Even a couple weeks from now will be worlds different on Highway 97 through the City. The bridge has been a huge improvement to the area, though it may not be apparent during the peak tourist season.

Fair to say that I am intimately familiar with the area... lived in Vernon from '75-99

I don't think Monashee pass has ever changed as long as I can remember. They added the 4 lane stretch close to Needles about 15 years ago but that's pretty much it.


As for the bridge.. I don't think that it's made a huge difference really. I don't think I've ever seen it backed up that bad. Granted, back in the day when one directino was cut down to one lane it was sometimes equally as backed up as it is now. The floating bridge was never that big an issue in off-peak either

[240glt]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

Highway 6 has been like that for a long time. Give them some credit though...they're actually making changes near Lumby and did some paving this year. Once you get past the twisty stuff North of Fauquier the drive to Nakusp and on to Galena Bay is quite nice. Monashee Pass is very fun to drive!

You were driving through Kelowna at the busiest time of the year, so I wouldn't say that's a fair assessment of the traffic there. Even a couple weeks from now will be worlds different on Highway 97 through the City. The bridge has been a huge improvement to the area, though it may not be apparent during the peak tourist season.

Fair to say that I am intimately familiar with the area... lived in Vernon from '75-99

I don't think Monashee pass has ever changed as long as I can remember. They added the 4 lane stretch close to Needles about 15 years ago but that's pretty much it.


As for the bridge.. I don't think that it's made a huge difference really. I don't think I've ever seen it backed up that bad. Granted, back in the day when one directino was cut down to one lane it was sometimes equally as backed up as it is now. The floating bridge was never that big an issue in off-peak either