The Project Director for what’s called the Cariboo Road Recovery Projects says longer term solutions are in the works but some shorter term solutions are now complete for the 10 hardest hit roads in the region.
Murray Tekano says they’ve got teams working on each of these project sites evaluating options…
“First priority is safety, making sure that what’s there and what’s being used is safe and that we can maintain that, and again we are resurfacing and that’s going to help with that.  In terms of longer term solutions to it, we’re looking at can the road be repaired, can it be stabilized and is it practical to do that again, or should we look at something more substantive, and in some cases that may mean relocating.”
Tekano says however, that longer term solutions are going to take some time
“Quite frankly there is quite a bit of analysis to answer that question specifically. We’re undertaking this geotechnical work engineering studies, and we will be engaging with communities as well with people in the area over what interest and concerns they have over possible alternatives. This is going to take at least the better part of a year for us to get through, and then after that we’ll be coming forward with recommendations for government to consider.”
Eight of the hardest hit roads in the region are in the Quesnel area, while the other two are in the Williams Lake area.
In terms of short term solutions, Highway 97 near Cottonwood and Blackwater Road on the Knickerbokcer hill have been paved in the Quesnel area, as has Highway 20 at Hodgson/Dog Creek Road in Williams Lake.
Others, such as Quesnel-Hixon Road and Quesnel-Hydraulic Road, have alternate routes.
Traffic can still get through from either side from Highway 97 for Quesnel -Hixon Road, and French Road has been upgraded and is being maintained for those on Quesnel-Hydraulic Road.