Two projects, totalling $4.9 million, to resurface sections of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 97A near Sicamous are now complete, improving travel for local residents, tourists and commercial drivers.
Using the Hot-in-Place recycling method, resurfacing work was completed on 19 kilometres of Highway 1, from Canoe Beach Drive East to the Bruhn Bridge, and 26 kilometres of Highway 97A starting just north of the Shuswap River Bridge in Grindrod to the junction with Highway 1 in Sicamous. The projects were done by Green Roads Recycling Ltd. of Fernie.
“Transportation is vital for the economic prosperity of this area. The completion of these improvements is great news for the Shuswap residents that live here year-round, and the many tourists who visit our region, especially in the summer months,” said Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo.
These highways serve the communities of Salmon Arm, Canoe, Sicamous and Grindrod, all of which rely heavily on tourists who come to enjoy activities on Shuswap and Mara lakes, as well as the many resorts and provincial campgrounds in the area.
“The surface upgrades on Highway 1 and 97A will make travel on these roads much safer. Along with our plan to build a new bridge at Hummingbird Creek, these projects are all part of government’s commitment to keep our transportation network safe and efficient and to keep goods moving throughout the province,” said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone.