Updates and background on the work we do to maintain and rehab BC bridges and highways during the spring, summer and fall.
As our economy has grown, so too has the need safely connect people and cargo in Northern BC with the Interior. Here is a sampling of three projects, one in the preliminary stages and two in progress in the Northern Region. Bunce Road to Blackwater Road, Highway 16 Extending the continuous four-laning of Highway 16 that begins before the Highway 16 and 97 intersection to within the Prince George city limits will reduce congestion and provide safer opportunities for merging,...
Mainroad, our maintenance contractor in the East Kootenay service area, works hard every day to keep local highways safe and traffic moving smoothly. Because the area is so geographically diverse, they can face any number of unique challenges where highway maintenance is concerned, especially during winter. In order to make sure they understand exactly what is expected of them in their day to day operations, we outline our maintenance requirements of them in great detail. We recently updated our...
The Kootenay Pass avalanche team wanted to shorten road closures due to avalanche control, because at the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure our biggest drive is to keep people and goods moving efficiently and safely along BC highways. When the new avalanche explosion hardware and software were installed in 2015, BC became the first Gazex system user in the world, to not only suggest this change, but to incorporate new software successfully into an existing system.
We’re working as hard as we can to repair roads in the South Peace region, after major flooding in mid-June 2016 damaged more than 300 sites. Restoring roads takes some or all of 12 steps.
We’re battling invasive plants along BC highways, and we’re enlisting Adopt a Highway volunteers to keep these unwelcome intruders from capturing more territory. Adopt a Highway volunteers are our allies in the attack; because they’re on the ground on assigned sections of BC highways. To arm them for managing invasive weeds, we’ve got a new video showing how to spot, report and remove invasive weeds. The pulling weeds part is optional, but for groups that want to jump in...
Since the privatization of highway maintenance in BC, we’ve governed the level of service required from our contractors through our Maintenance Contract Agreements. However, in the 27 years since highway maintenance was privatized, there have been substantial changes both in the industry and in public expectations. We’ve recently renewed the maintenance contract for the East Kootenay service area and the language in this new contract will be the starting point for all of our maintenance contracts around the province...
Join us on a Highway 16 road trip from 50 years ago, through some of BC’s most spectacular natural landscapes – Prince Rupert to Terrace. The folks in our Skeena District office travelled this segment of the BC Road Trip Time Machine recently, and identified dramatic changes between then and now. What a difference five decades makes! Some comparisons to watch for on your journey… So Curvy! Highway 16 had a lot of curves in 1966, and vegetation grew...
Lions Gate Bridge travellers may have had a bumpy ride during last year’s rehabilitation work that required us to use a temporary road plate while replacing a bridge deck joint. It’s time again to do some more rehab work; but please don’t worry – we have a smooth solution. In order to avoid traffic delays like the ones that happened last year, we’ve developed a comprehensive “bump-free” plan to keep traffic moving smoothly while we replace the expansion joint...
Ministry maintenance contractors spend a lot of time on the road in winter – but it’s not just about plowing and sanding. Should an unexpected avalanche cover an open highway, these workers are nearby and ready to help. Every year, our ministry avalanche technicians deliver search and rescue training to maintenance contractors who work on BC highways, located below some 1,388 avalanche paths. The training also includes: the contractor’s typical role of closing a route for avalanche control work...
Do line-marking paints exist that will survive our challenging climates? For the next year, we’re testing line-marking paints, to determine which best weather the tough conditions on BC’s highways. How long will each paint take the scouring of winter abrasives (aka crushed stone and gravel)? Will it stand up under the scraping of snow plow blades, what effect will heavy rain, snow or slush have, and how long will it be before the weight and friction of vehicles...
