Drivers are advised that a section of the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt will be closed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, to allow for proactive avalanche control.

New maintenance contracts have been awarded for service areas in the Fraser Valley and Nicola, with improved standards and better highway conditions for British Columbians, year round.

Drivers are advised to prepare for more winter weather conditions and possible delays when travelling to and from the Interior for the remainder of the week.

The Dry Gulch Bridge on the Coquihalla Highway is fully reopened to all lanes of traffic now that important rehabilitation work is substantially complete, extending the life of the structure and providing safer conditions for people who travel through the region.

Emergency health services in the Coquihalla corridor will be strengthened thanks to a planned expansion and renovation of the Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre’s emergency department.

May 2016 marks 30 years since the opening of one of British Columbia’s largest infrastructure projects – the Coquihalla highway. This 324-kilometre project opened up the interior to economic development and improved access to the west coast of British Columbia.

VSA Highway Maintenance Ltd. of Merritt has won this year’s Deputy Minister’s Contractor of the Year Award for highway maintenance, for its work in the Nicola Service Area.