Drivers along Highway 1 through the Fraser and Thompson Canyons are advised that there will be a nine-hour overnight closure of the highway at Tank Hill, 14 kilometres east of Lytton, on Tuesday, June 24.
The closure will start at 12:01 a.m. on June 24, and end at 9 a.m. the same day. The closure will facilitate the placement of deck concrete on the new highway structure that is being constructed above the CPKC main line at Tank Hill.
During the overnight closure on June 24, hard closures will be in place at the junctions of Highways 1 and 12 (Lytton) and Highways 1 and 8 (Spences Bridge). There will be checkpoints in Lytton and Spences Bridge to provide travellers with options. Local traffic will still have access to the Gladwin area and Nicola River Road, and emergency vehicles will be provided with access throughout the closure as needed..
Please note that Highway 8 (Spences Bridge to Merritt) is not available as a detour route when Highway 1 is closed.
Tank Hill was severely impacted in the November 2021 atmospheric river, with both the highway and the CPKC main line affected by washouts. The highway formerly passed under the train line at the site, but an at-grade crossing has been in place since January 2022.
A two-lane detour route is in place at the site, but intermittent closures, and single-lane alternating traffic as required, will be ongoing at the site as required for construction. Drivers can experience delays of up to 40 minutes due to train traffic and construction activities. Feedback from community members and drivers in the corridor has been incorporated into traffic management to improve communication, and the predictability of delays, and the project team is working with CPKC to reduce delays.
In May, work at the site included installing steel beams used to support heavy loads; installing concrete deck panels; and installing the west retaining walls that will support the roadway as it approaches the new bridge.
When work is complete, the highway will pass above the main line and an existing creek. There will also be improved drainage from CPKC rail under the Trans-Canada. The project is on schedule to be completed in November 2025.
For information about highway conditions, including closures, go to www.drivebc.ca.
