Posts Tagged ‘ TranBC ’

The Story of the Francois Lake Ferry during the 2018 Wildfire Emergency

When a formation of wildfires threatened communities around Francois Lake in summer 2018, the MV Francois Forester ferry sailed into emergency service, becoming a 24/7 evacuation route, firefighter transport vessel and community information centre, for about six weeks. It was all hands on deck for the vessel, operated by WaterBridge Equipment Inc., under contract with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. The ferry’s onshore property and facilities were also launched into wildfire duty, to provide a communications base for...

We’re not the only ones who know British Columbia is a scenic place to work and play. Every year, filmmakers, actors and athletes from around the world use provincial roads and highways as backdrops for the big screen and terrain for local sporting events. With the amount of filming that is done in BC, it’s no surprise we’re known as “Hollywood North.” In 2017, the film industry generated $3.6 billion for local economies, according to Creative BC statistics. Before...

History and infrastructure nerds rejoice! We’ve collected a stunning group of photographs documenting the construction of the Fraser Canyon Highway beginning in the 1920s, and moving into the 30s, 40s and 50s. We’re excited to share them with you here, along with a bit of Fraser Canyon route history to boot. Why all the Fuss about the Fraser Canyon? The Fraser Canyon was home to the first gold rush traffic in BC, which began in 1857 when gold was...

We sometimes get the question: what kinds of inspections do commercial vehicles have to go through to ensure they are operating safely? It’s a great question, especially since the way CVSE (Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement) carries out inspections has evolved over the years. The most notable change is increasing mobile inspections and using technology to help focus inspections on commercial vehicles that need them. So, how does this play out? Then… Well, looking back 15 years, all commercial...

Customer service is a major part of what we do at the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. From maintaining highways to handling development approvals, our goal is to provide the best service we can. Of course, there’s always room for improvement. That’s why we’re asking you to help make us better by taking our 17th annual Customer Satisfaction Survey, open from July 16 to Sept. 14, 2018. Last year, we received more than 3,000 responses from folks across the province,...

Motherhood. The term conjures up images of sleepless nights, toddler tantrums, unexpected precious moments and overwhelming feelings of absolute frustration mixed with love – often at the same time. On Mother’s Day (and all the other days) being a mum (or dad) isn’t easy; it also isn’t a strictly human experience; many other mammals “mother” their young and often have similar moments of sweetness, determination and frustration. How do we know? Our wildlife monitoring program cams show us so....

It’s a fact. BC is a heck of a popular place and our highways and byways are getting busier and busier. What should be a simple left turn can sometimes take a long, long time to make (not to mention big back-ups for folks in line behind.) We often need to make changes to some of those busier routes in order to keep travellers moving safely and smoothly, which is exactly what is happening on Highway 97 at Stickle...

It’s been a long winter, and the white stuff is still on the ground in some parts of the province. But take heart! Spring is finally here, and so comes a little “housekeeping” to keep things in order. What do you include in your spring cleaning checklist? Windows? Closets? Garage? Behind the bed? Under the stove? Well, we also have a list of to-do’s, but it looks a little different than yours. Here are a few things on our...

Are you a BC Highways history nerd? If so – GET READY! We promised you more amazing historical images after our first historical snapshots blog and we are delivering on that promise. Don’t consider yourself a highways history nerd? Don’t worry – you will be after you take a look at some of the images below. As some of you might already know, we’ve been going through our old photos and sharing our favourites with you. These pictures were...

The lure of making an illegal U-turn on a BC Highway can be tempting. You might think it’ll save you a bit of time. Or it’s just convenient. Or it’s a quick fix when going the wrong way. Just don’t. It’s unwise, unsafe and illegal. You might see what looks like a pull through in the middle of the road and think it’s your perfect window of opportunity to back track. STOP! It’s not for you! (Except if...