Work has begun in B.C.’s southern Interior to upgrade 482 kilometres of highways and side roads, renewing driving surfaces for local residents, travellers and the movement of goods.

There will be a planned overnight closure of the Halston Bridge on Sunday night to continue the rehabilitation project to make the bridge safer.

As a part of ongoing efforts to improve safety on Highway 5 North, the Province is moving forward with a project to build a dedicated Commercial Vehicle and Safety Enforcement (CVSE) pullout south of Barriere.

Southbound traffic on Highway 5 will be reduced to one lane at the New East Bridge on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023, from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m while crews conduct electrical maintenance on the bridge.

Drivers are advised that winter conditions are expected in the southern Interior as a Pacific storm brings snow and possible freezing rain, starting today.

Work is underway to restore access on Highway 1 through the southern Interior, after wildfire activity forced closures of sections of the highway.

Work will begin this spring to upgrade the Halston Bridge in Kamloops.

Snow and freezing rain forecast for today until Tuesday means poor driving conditions on highways in the southern Interior.  Drivers are urged to avoid non-essential travel.

Heavy snowfall mixed with freezing rain is expected to create hazardous road conditions on Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton and Princeton to Hedley, beginning this evening and persisting until Monday.

Wildfire activity is increasing in the B.C. Interior, and travel on some provincial highways is being affected.