Trans-Canada widening project near Golden to open for holiday traffic between B.C. and Alberta

The 24/7 closures on Highway 1 east of Golden through the Kicking Horse Canyon ended on Dec. 1, just in time for holiday travellers between B.C. and Alberta.

The Trans-Canada Highway will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in December with construction-related delays.

Overnight closures will remain for Highway 93 and 95, the Ministry of Transportation said in a written statement.

The highway is scheduled to open without any stops from on Dec. 24, at 7 a.m. until Jan. 4 at noon.

Construction crews will be working on the widening of the 4.8 kilometre section of the Trans-Canada through the canyon throughout the winter to meet the winter 2023/24 deadline.

The project includes realigning 13 curves, widening the highway to four lanes with a median barrier, widening shoulders to accommodate cyclists, mitigating rockfall and avalanche areas with bridges or rock catchment ditches, adding wildlife exclusion fencing, and wildlife passages, according to a ministry website.

The project is currently on schedule and is forecast to be delivered within budget, the ministry said.

Although the canyon project was not directly impacted by the flooding event, the area south of the project did experience high rates of precipitation, and there were minor weather-related delays on-site, the ministry said.

READ MORE: 24/7 closure of Trans-Canada in Kicking Horse Canyon hits halfway mark

The delays aren’t expected to impact the overall schedule and completion date of the project.

The project team is in communication with the ministry to discuss options if additional resources to complete the project are requested.

The total project cost is estimated at $601 million, including a $215 million contribution from the government of Canada.

For the latest on the project go here.

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