A Cariboo Road Recovery Projects website is being launched to keep the public informed about 10 major locations, including Soda Creek-Macalister Road, Quesnel Hydraulic Road and Kersley-Dale Landing Road.
“The Cariboo has been hit hard by changing weather patterns, which have caused unprecedented slides and road washouts,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) in a news release Thursday, Aug. 26.
“People are understandably concerned about damage to roads they rely on every day. We are working hard to find solutions at each project site, and this new website will give people up-to-date, detailed information about what’s happening with the sites that affect them.”
People are encouraged to visit the website to learn more about projects, including location, current conditions and status.
The MoTI confirmed in the coming months, its project teams will be engaging with communities, local governments, Indigenous communities and stakeholders to discuss potential transportation solutions at each site.
The wet spring months of the past few years have brought more water into the ground than normal in this area, noted the news release, adding these conditions, when combined with the snow melt and the impacts of wildfires on slope stability, have caused unprecedented slides and road washouts in 2020 and 2021.
“Government has responded quickly to restore safe road access and to assess the more significantly impacted sites for future repair.”
In May of this year, the MoTI activated a district operations centre in Williams Lake to support the emergency crews and facilitate a co-ordinated response. Local crews and subject-matter experts worked to fix damaged roadways and consider how future damage might be prevented.
During this time, approximately 200 people from the ministry and its contractors worked on the spring freshet response.
To report a road-related emergency or maintenance concern in the 100 Mile or Williams Lake area, call Dawson Road maintenance at 1-800-842-4122. In the North Cariboo, call Emcon Services, toll-free at 1-866-353-3136.