Residents, tourists and commercial drivers will all benefit from road upgrades scheduled to take place in the North Thompson this summer.
The province has announced that an asphalt resurfacing project on Agate Bay Road will upgrade 11 km of road between the Heffley/Louis Creek Road and Adams Lake.
Work will start in early summer and finish before the end of September. A stronger road base and improvements to shoulders and drainage will also be part of this project.
It is reported that the strength and surface improvements to Agate Bay Road will reduce the amount of time load restrictions are in place and allow for reduced travel time by up to as much as one and a half hours for logging trucks hauling to Adams Lake Lumber.
A smooth riding surface is reported to reduce wear and tear on tires and vehicles, benefitting resident motorists, tourists and commercial vehicles.
The use of environmentally-friendly techniques for hot-in-place surfacing improvements will reduce emissions, fuel consumption and reduce aggregate requirements.
Other improvements scheduled to take place will be in the South Thompson:
· A project awarded to Dawson Construction will resurface 3.5 km on Highway 97 from Hanna Road north to the four lane section. Additionally, sections of Highway 5N from the Yellowhead Flyover to Mount Paul Way will be resurfaced. There will also be surface improvements to the Commercial Inspection Station entrances, located west of Kamloops on the Trans-Canada Highway. Recycled asphalt pavement from the Highway 97 project will be used to hard surface Duck Range Road and Fallis Place. Work will complete in early summer.
· As announced in December, 2011, Pat Road Pedestrian Overpass will undergo construction of new protective screening to prevent vandals from throwing debris from the overpass onto the highway. Work is scheduled to complete on May 31, 2012.
Travellers should also note resurfacing is underway on Highway 1 from Tobiano to the Highway 5 junction. Completion is scheduled for the end of June.
Travellers are reminded to check DriveBC for possible delays due to project work during construction season and plan their trips accordingly.
Please obey signs and traffic control personnel at construction sites for your safety and that of roadside workers.