Information of interest to commuters, tourists and recreational drivers in rural and urban BC.
Have you ever wondered what it was like in Tofino and Ucluelet 50 years ago? If you’re already familiar with our photolog video series, you know how fascinating it is to tour British Columbia as it once was, frozen in the 1960s. (And if this is your first photolog… well, get your popcorn, because you’ve got some catching up to do!) Our latest BC Time Machine takes our intrepid viewers on a journey to the West Coast of Vancouver...
Planning on heading over the Coquihalla this summer? Head’s up! A couple of construction projects may slow you down a bit. That’s because we are working on improving parts of BC Highway 5 between Hope and Merritt from April to October, 2017. It sucks. We know. But it’s for a good reason. We appreciate your patience. Here are the details: First up – Box Canyon Chain Up Area Expansion Northbound commercial vehicle traffic on the Coquihalla Highway is often...
This spring, we’ll start using this environmentally friendly water-based paint that allows for thicker (and thus longer-lasting) application, on key highways around BC. In addition to delivering durability, the formulation will be combined with newly designed-for-BC glass beads, which improve light reflection to boost the paint’s visibility.
Warning! Don’t let spring play an April Fools’ prank on you. Roadside signs state passenger vehicles are required to have winter tires, and commercial trucks must carry chains, on most BC highways between October 1 and March 31. However, that doesn’t mean winter tires and chains are never needed beyond those dates. Sometimes spring lets Old Man Winter outstay his welcome, especially on high elevation routes such as the Coquihalla. Professional truck drivers who travel BC’s high mountain passes...
Our friends at PreparedBC are your go-to for all things emergency prep – both for the home and while you’re out exploring the province. So we invited them to share instructions on what you can do to incorporate emergency preparation into your travel plans. The journey is the destination, and with British Columbia’s breathtaking scenery you’ll likely make a few stops along the way during summer vacay. Understanding the potential risks and considering them in your travel plans...
What the heck is a Geoscientist and how does the work they do help highway travel in BC? It’s National Geoscience and Engineering Month in Canada and to recognize that, we reached out to Alexandra McGladrey, G.I.T. to chat and learn more about the great work that our she and other geoscientists on staff do. Alexandra joined the ministry through our Engineer-In-Training/Geoscientist-In- Training program and gave us tonnes of great insight into the role… March is National Engineering and...
In Canada, we celebrate National Engineering and Geoscience Month in March, highlighting the importance of engineering as a career and its impact on our daily lives. Engineering is such a HUGE part of what we do at the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. From wildlife overpasses to Port Mann cable collars to rip rap to speed limits, it’s all covered with an engineering expertise. To showcase some of the work we do, we collected some of our most popular...
SPOILER ALERT – Distracted Driving is Really Dangerous. We took a look around the world and in our own backyard for some great videos reminding us of the dangers of distracted driving. Some are scary, some are hilarious, but all drive home the message that to do anything else but drive when you’re behind the wheel is dangerous for you and everyone else on the road. ICBC It doesn’t have to be long to get to the point. Here’s...
We take the safety of the travelling public very seriously and so do our maintenance contractors. Have you ever wondered what exactly we expect from them and how they meet our expectations? We spoke with Joe Wrobel, president of JPW Road and Bridge Ltd, to get the scoop on the many ways they work to keep you moving safely through the Sicamous and Salmon Arm area. TranBC: Could you tell us – what does a day in the life...
Rushing rivers and soaring mountains make for a beautiful road trip, but when it comes to widening and improving highways, those same breathtaking features can pose an incredible challenge. Few highways in BC are more beautiful or challenging than the Kicking Horse Canyon along Highway 1. Constructed through Kicking Horse Pass in 1962 and following basically the original Canadian Pacific Rail route, this portion of the Trans-Canada Highway reaches its highest point at an elevation of 1,643 metres or...
