Traffic stopped on Highway 97 for rock slide clearing operations (photo courtesy of the B.C. Government / Flickr)

By Liam Verster

90-Minute Closures

Blasting planned at Summerland rock slide site Thursday, Saturday

Dec 13, 2023 | 12:27 PM

Highway 97 though the Central Okanagan will be temporarily closed twice this week.

Drive B.C. reports two blasting operations are planned for the rock slide site between Peachland and Summerland, both of which will require 90-minute temporary closures.

The first planned work is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, with the second session planned for the same times on Saturday, Dec. 16.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure had previously announced that twice-weekly blasting operations would be going through December and into January to clear the site of the August rockslide.

However, the province said no blasting would be done between Dec. 21 through 27, or on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The highway will be open for single lane traffic during that time, and traffic control measures will remain in place.

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Future closures will be posted on DriveBC at least 24 hours ahead of time.