When Summerland’s Giants Head Road paving was finally completed last month, no one could have predicted that it would become the main detour route for the slide on Highway 97.
For almost a year, crews had worked on Giants Head Road with paving between Harris Road and Gartrell Road completed at the start of May.
The cost of the road upgrades, including adding bike lanes and widening the road surface, is estimated at $3,181,860 while the water main replacement and water system separation are expected to cost $3,282,640.
Many locals have worried that with such fresh asphalt, the new pavement could be damaged by the heavy traffic including trucks.
“The road is designed for heavy traffic,” said Joe Mitchell, Summerland’s director of works and infrastructure. “Not highway traffic but it can handle the detour traffic coming through.”
Summerland closed Giants Head Road on Thursday, May 25 for the day while they tied in a new water line. It is the only closure expected in the near future, he said.
Meanwhile, work on the retaining wall at the slide continues. The Ministry of Transportation is estimating the work to continue for two more weeks.
“While the ministry anticipates the retaining wall will take approximately two weeks to complete, subject to weather and site conditions, there’s no estimate on full reopening of the highway,” said the Ministry of Transportation in a statement.
Summerland still has to pave and upgrade the rest of Giants Head Road to Hillborn and tie in the water lines there. There is no schedule for when that work will start, said Mitchell.
The cost of the road upgrades, including adding bike lanes and widening the road surface, is estimated at $3,181,860 while the water main replacement and water system separation are expected to cost $3,282,640.