Highways in Canada

[ZeDgE]

Originally Posted by rofina

Abbotsford. That's the Whatcom exit, and that's Castle Fun Park that can be seen, the round building.

Surreal to see this image.

Ah yea see that now, holy crap.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by thewave46

I didn't think it was possible to send trains via the ONR rail across the country. The line has been removed just west of Hearst.

Unless you're referring to sending it via Quebec?

Yes, east. It was when the blockades were happening in Southern ON.

[craneSpotter]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I saw a video of the Malahat "river" Not sure how it overflowed as it is close to the ocean. I am talking within 100m at the lower areas. The higher areas are right beside sheer cliffs.

Design issue - the barrier used there was the old style without drainage channels.. along with a lot more water than is typically seen - aided by debris blocking existing drains. The washout is a relatively small area with an existing retaining wall - should be a quick-ish fix. Looks like the maintenance contractor just pushed the no post barrier over the side/bank to drain it quickly.

The Malahat was open to traffic this morning by 9am and the backlog seemed to have cleared going north bound (although it will get congested again off and on until repaired) ... they also kept the Mill Bay - Saanichton ferry operating all night too to help out.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by craneSpotter

Design issue - the barrier used there was the old style without drainage channels.. along with a lot more water than is typically seen - aided by debris blocking existing drains. The washout is a relatively small area with an existing retaining wall - should be a quick-ish fix. Looks like the maintenance contractor just pushed the no post barrier over the side/bank to drain it quickly.

The Malahat was open to traffic this morning by 9am and the backlog seemed to have cleared going north bound (although it will get congested again off and on until repaired) ... they also kept the Mill Bay - Saanichton ferry operating all night too to help out.

They are alternating traffic on the Mallahat. Apparently the Brentwood bay ferry is going to continue to run for a bit while longer.

[craneSpotter]

Originally Posted by Airboy

They are alternating traffic on the Mallahat. Apparently the Brentwood bay ferry is going to continue to run for a bit while longer.

Yes that is correct - it is single lane alternating until repaired. The NB traffic this afternoon was pretty backed up - more than typical which is to be expected.

Update: Malahat repairs are underway (heavy equipment & gravel trucks on site this afternoon). It will be closed for the next 5-6 nights (7pm to 6am) to complete.

[SpongeG]

Apparently Kelowna, Kamloops, 100 Mile House and other interior cities are experiencing grocery stores with empty shelves, people are panic buying and there are bare shelves, but they keep telling people to calm down and supplies come from the east for the most part those routes are not affected.


Aisle at the Vernon Superstore. (Jenny Smith/ Vernon Morning Star)

https://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/prod...-grocery-stores-due-to-highway-closures/

[Metro-One]

Selfish morons

[SpongeG]

one body recovered today.

I was listening to the local talk radio all day, they had one guy on talking about the slide there, he was coming back to the LM via the only way open at the time, the 99 Pemberton route. He came to a point where there were a number of vehicles stopped and people had gotten out of the vehicles and within minutes of him stopping, another slide hit and his truck got hit but he somehow got out and he started to break down, he said his own truck was battered with logs and rocks and mud and was half buried by it and he said the vehicles in front of him and the people he had just seen were all gone. They estimated 5 -7 vehicles were washed away, so far only 2 people have been reported missing, but sounds like there will be more bodies recovered in the coming days.

Woman found dead, others missing after mudslide hits B.C. highway
Vancouver has been cut off from the rest of Canada by road after unprecedented rainfall that saw 20 places across B.C. break daily records for precipitation

Author of the article: Devika Desai
Publishing date:Nov 16, 2021

[swimmer_spe]

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158068074495723&set=a.10150255154425723

Not my image.

If we look at how the Highway is built, it is not built with drainage in mind. Those concrete barriers keep you on the highway, but they also keep the water on the roadway. I hope BC's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure examines their construction practices and builds them so that storms like this allow the water to quickly drain away.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by thewave46

I didn't think it was possible to send trains via the ONR rail across the country. The line has been removed just west of Hearst.

Unless you're referring to sending it via Quebec?

The ONR's lines only go as far West As Constance Lake First Nation just West of Heart. The furthest East is in Rouyn-Noranda, QC. But connections to CN's lines in Hearst and Rouyn-Noranda can allow the ONR's line to be used if needed by CN. The former Algoma Central Railway line is used from Heart to Oba where it meets the main CN line.

CN trains did at one time go from La Sarre, QC to Cochrane, ON and West to Northwestern Ontario. But much of the former line was removed.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158068074495723&set=a.10150255154425723

Not my image.

If we look at how the Highway is built, it is not built with drainage in mind. Those concrete barriers keep you on the highway, but they also keep the water on the roadway. I hope BC's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure examines their construction practices and builds them so that storms like this allow the water to quickly drain away.

she left her photo feed open to the public

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10158068074495723&set=a.10150255154425723

Not my image.

If we look at how the Highway is built, it is not built with drainage in mind. Those concrete barriers keep you on the highway, but they also keep the water on the roadway. I hope BC's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure examines their construction practices and builds them so that storms like this allow the water to quickly drain away.

I’ve always wondered how B.C. does snow storage with the divided section of TCH in the interior.

[SpongeG]

the radio news said they will be running a special ferry Thursday that will run from Nanaimo to Victoria to get essentials and such down the island.

Duke Point-Swartz Bay & Mill Bay-Brentwood Bay Service Added due to Malahat Closure
Update as of 2:53 pm:



To support the movement of travellers and essential goods between Victoria and Nanaimo, the Coastal Celebration will perform one round trip between Swartz Bay (Victoria) and Duke Point (Nanaimo) on Thursday, November 18, due to the Highway 1 weather-related closures. The sailings will operate on the following schedule:

Thursday, November 18

Departing Swartz Bay 12:30 pm

Arriving Duke Point 3:30 pm

Departing Duke Point 4:00 pm

Arriving Swartz Bay 7:00 pm

The Coastal Celebration accommodates approximately 310 automobile equivalents (approximately 30 mixed commercial vehicles and 155 private passenger vehicles) and 1604 passengers and crew. The crossing time will be approximately three hours. This extra service is for drive-up customers on a first-come, first-serve basis only. Reservations will not be offered and Assured Loading Tickets will not be accepted. The cost will be equivalent to the fares for the Duke Point – Tsawwassen route, which you can review here: https://www.bcferries.com/routes-fares/ferry-fares

https://www.bcferries.com/travel-advisories/8798026444579

[nname]

Food images from BC MoT:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/albums/72157720143417483

Not sure how they're going to rebuild this section? Looks like the bridge have to be demolished, and maybe need to be realigned. If that's the case, I don't see how it can reopen even for next summer...

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by nname

Food images from BC MoT:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/albums/72157720143417483

Not sure how they're going to rebuild this section? Looks like the bridge have to be demolished, and maybe need to be realigned. If that's the case, I don't see how it can reopen even for next summer...

They could take one side and build a Baily Bridge to get traffic flowing. I suspect most of the divided highways will be 2 lane again for a year.

[GoTrans]

Originally Posted by Loco101

The ONR's lines only go as far West As Constance Lake First Nation just West of Heart. The furthest East is in Rouyn-Noranda, QC. But connections to CN's lines in Hearst and Rouyn-Noranda can allow the ONR's line to be used if needed by CN. The former Algoma Central Railway line is used from Heart to Oba where it meets the main CN line.

CN trains did at one time go from La Sarre, QC to Cochrane, ON and West to Northwestern Ontario. But much of the former line was removed.

Apparently some CN freights have been diverted via the ex BCR. I haven't heard if the slides on the road have impacted the railway. We drove from Valemount to Calgary via Jasper yesterday and there are a lot of freights parked on sidings with fresh snow sitting on them from Blue River all the way to Jasper. Only saw 3 freights, 1 eastbound and 2 westbounds probably using the line to Prince Rupert. We missed the slides in Hope by about 20 minutes and by the time we got gas in Hope all the other roads except the Hwy3 were closed. Hwy 3 was fine when we were on it but some rivers were running high. No snow in Calgary.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

They could take one side and build a Baily Bridge to get traffic flowing. I suspect most of the divided highways will be 2 lane again for a year.

If that is the only bridge out there can be a temp bridge made. and then one lane through the damaged area. But yah this can't be done until the end of summer.

Another issue we have is that the girders for the Kicking horse are trucked up from Vancouver.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

Apparently some CN freights have been diverted via the ex BCR. I haven't heard if the slides on the road have impacted the railway. We drove from Valemount to Calgary via Jasper yesterday and there are a lot of freights parked on sidings with fresh snow sitting on them from Blue River all the way to Jasper. Only saw 3 freights, 1 eastbound and 2 westbounds probably using the line to Prince Rupert. We missed the slides in Hope by about 20 minutes and by the time we got gas in Hope all the other roads except the Hwy3 were closed. Hwy 3 was fine when we were on it but some rivers were running high. No snow in Calgary.

Listening to a couple of shows. reports are saying there is as many as 10kms of track hanging in the Canyon.

Another show talked with a trucker, about 2500 trucks parked in Kamloops alone.

The trains are being staged along the track. I figure the trains coming through Edmonton are the Prince Rupert trains.

[Airboy]

here is a good chance for the Military to get in and set up bridges. the logging and Oil industry are also good at installing temp bridges.

[nname]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

They could take one side and build a Baily Bridge to get traffic flowing. I suspect most of the divided highways will be 2 lane again for a year.

You can see the river already undermine the foundation of the remaining lanes on the left side. So the existing highway alignment is essentially river now, and may remain this way. So they will either have to divert the river back to its original course, or realign the highway. If they realign, I suppose it will have to go through the design and EA process, which may take years?

Originally Posted by Airboy

If that is the only bridge out there can be a temp bridge made. and then one lane through the damaged area. But yah this can't be done until the end of summer.

From the album, I can count 7 different washouts and 5 bridges damages or destroyed.