Highway 3 between Princeton and Hope, B.C., reopens ahead of schedule

Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton in the B.C. Interior has reopened with detours on Christmas Day, weeks after officials projected weeks of closures due to heavy flood damage.

On Dec. 19, the provincial Ministry of Transportation said a 50-metre section of the highway washed out following heavy rain earlier that week. The ministry said it would take time before a single lane could be restored.

After what the province called round-the-clock efforts from repair crews, the highway is reopening to single-lane, alternating traffic on a temporary detour.

The speed limit on this detour is reduced to 30 km/h.

"Drivers heading west on Highway 3 (toward Hope) will be held approximately 500 metres east of the site to avoid lineups in an avalanche risk area where no stopping is permitted," the ministry says.

Officials advised commercial vehicles to take an alternate route from the Lower Mainland to the B.C. Interior until two lanes are fully repaired on Highway 3.

The ministry said significant design and reconstruction will be required for permanent repairs to be finished. The temporary detour would remain until then, it said.

Access to the temporary detour may also be restricted to passenger vehicles, depending on conditions.

People can still travel between the B.C. Interior and the Lower Mainland through a detour over the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5).

That highway saw a number of crashes and travel advisories earlier this week amid snowfall.

Highways in the Lower Mainland and the B.C. Interior, including Highway 3 and Highway 5, experienced a number of closures due to widespread flooding in early December. Highway 3 saw a notably prolonged closure.

This road is particularly critical for the community of Princeton and Manning Park Resort, which rely on Highway 3 to access the Lower Mainland.

In its statement, the province recommends drivers check www.DriveBC.ca for the latest updates.