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.

Effective immediately, 10 Mile Bridge on Highway 8, 10 kilometres west of Merritt, has reopened to local traffic, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

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.

Significant progress is being made to manage invasive plant species in the Thompson-Nicola region, as part of a $2.2-million pilot project that began this spring and will continue into 2020.

Roadside reflectors will be installed on Highway 97C, the Okanagan Connector, enhancing the delineation of the highway and providing better visibility of the road alignment both at night and in adverse conditions.

Students in the Nicola-Similkameen School District will benefit from $1.3 million in provincial funding for a school upgrade project, classroom supplies and new school buses, MLA Jackie Tegart announced on behalf of Education Minister Mike Bernier.