Long-term repairs begin years after rockslide on Highway 97 near Summerland

Drivers have been advised that the long-term repairs to the 2023 Summerland rockslide site are beginning in November.

There will be some delays when crews start long-term stabilization between Callan Road and North Beach Road on Nov. 3, according to a press release from the Ministry of Transportation.

New traffic lines and reducing cones will shift the traffic pattern until spring 2027.

As the site preparation begins there will be temporary closures for up to 20 minutes between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in November. Site preparation entails some controlled blasting and rock scaling.

The ministry said construction is mostly going to take place from Monday to Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. with no traffic delaying work during any weekends or holidays.

Emil Anderson Construction was awarded the $23.2 million contract to stabilize the site.

Highway 97 between Callan Road and Okanagan Lake was closed for weeks after 3,000 cubic metres of rock fell onto the highway on Aug. 28, 2023.

The temporary stabilization work wrapped up last year, but long-term stabilization is necessary since workers found massive tension cracks in the mountain that were two metres wide and 20 metres deep.