A new website has launched to help people stay up to date on the work being done to recover from major slides and road washouts.

The Cariboo Road Recovery Projects website will address the transportation impacts at 10 major locations, including Soda Creek-Macalister Road, Quesnel Hydraulic Road and Kersley-Dale Landing Road.

“The Cariboo has been hit hard by changing weather patterns, which have caused unprecedented slides and road washouts,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “People are understandably concerned about damage to roads they rely on every day. We are working hard to find solutions at each project site, and this new website will give people up-to-date, detailed information about what’s happening with the sites that affect them.”

People are encouraged to visit the website to learn more about projects, including location, current conditions and status. Over the coming months, ministry project teams will be engaging with communities, local governments, Indigenous communities and stakeholders to discuss potential transportation solutions at each site. The website is available at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/cariboo-road-recovery-projects

The wet spring months of the past few years have brought more water into the ground than normal in this area. These conditions, when combined with the snow melt and the impacts of wildfires on slope stability, have caused unprecedented slides and road washouts in 2020 and 2021.

Government has responded quickly to restore safe road access and to assess the more significantly impacted sites for future repair. This past spring, a district operations centre was established in Williams Lake to support the emergency crews and facilitate a co-ordinated response. Local crews and subject-matter experts worked to fix damaged roadways and consider how future damage might be prevented. During this time, approximately 200 people from the ministry and its contractors worked on the spring freshet response.

Click the emergency travel information link in the sidebar to see a list of road advisories and information at: DriveBC.ca

The site includes information about roads impacted by the freshet and wildfires.

To report a road-related emergency or maintenance concern in the 100 Mile or Williams Lake area, call Dawson Road maintenance at 1 800 842-4122. In the North Cariboo, call Emcon Services, toll-free at 1 866 353-3136.

Quick Facts:

• In 2020, government invested $30 million in freshet repairs and upgrades throughout the Cariboo and is on track to make a similar or higher level of investment this year. 
• With help from StrongerBC: BC's Economic Recovery Plan, $5.6 million was invested over the past six months to increase supply of rip rap, culverts and other response materials, along with strengthening side roads and ditching for flood mitigation. 
• Through Budget 2021, the government is investing $819 million into highway corridor rehabilitation throughout the province.

Learn More:

To learn more about Cariboo Road recovery projects, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/cariboo-road-recovery-projects

For travel restrictions and precautions due to COVID-19, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/travel/current

For the most up-to-date highway travel information, visit: www.DriveBC.ca
Or @DriveBC on Twitter.

For a direct link to B.C. flooding information and a listing of side road closures, visit: https://www.tranbc.ca/current-travel-advisories/

To learn more about spring freshets, visit: https://www.tranbc.ca/2011/05/11/what-is-freshet-hint-its-not-an-air-freshener/

To view photos of repair sites, visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/albums/72157719044969991