Construction improvements planned for a 4.3-kilometre stretch of Highway 1 west of Salmon Arm are expected to begin later this year.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) announced Monday, July 24, that a $128-million contract for the Highway 1-Ford Road to Tappen Valley Road project had been awarded to Emil Anderson Construction Inc. The project will begin this fall and will take place over three construction seasons. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
The work will include widening the highway to four lanes. This includes replacing the aging Tappen bridge/overpass. Other improvements include a new eastbound commercial carrier pullout, a new frontage road system, a modified protected T-intersection at Tappen Valley Road and the installation of a median barrier.
The ministry explained the project includes a stretch of highway running through Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw (formerly Little Shuswap Lake Band).
“This will enhance connections within the Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw community and improve safe access on and off the Trans-Canada Highway,” reads a MOTI media release. “Upgrading the highway to a modern 100-kilometre-per-hour, four-lane standard will allow traffic to move more safely and efficiently.”
The ministry has been working with the Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw band and Skwlax Resource Management Ltd. which has completed the advanced land clearing for the project.
MOTI said during construction, efforts will be made to minimize traffic disruptions.
Read more: Province goes to tender for Trans-Canada Highway improvements west of Salmon Arm
Read more: $82 million in federal funding committed to Highway 1 upgrades in Tappen
More information on the project can be found here.
lachlan@saobserver.net
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