The road in downtown Burns Lake is scheduled to be repaved this summer, the government announced.
Three kilometres of Highway 16, between Babine and Kerr roads will be resurfaced, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said in a news release on April 25.
An additional 30 kilometres of the highway - from Endako to the Fort Fraser overhead bridge - will be paved as well.
“This section of Highway 16 is in need of repair, and I know it has been a concern for residents who drive this route,” said Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “The work being done will significantly improve the drive through Burns Lake and make travelling between Endako and Fort Fraser safer.”
The Penticton firm Peter’s Bros. Construction was awarded the resurfacing contract for $7.4 million.
A more specific timeline for the start of construction will be known in the coming weeks, Ministry of Transportation spokeswoman Sukhi Tomana told Lakes District News.
“The contractor has developed a traffic management plan to help ensure that people can travel with minimal disruptions through the Burns Lake area,” she added.
Mayor Dolores Funk welcomed the news of the resurfacing.
“I think we can all agree that this announcement hasn’t come a minute too soon for all of us who drive through town on a regular basis,” Funk said. “I’m very grateful that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure found a way to make this project a reality for this summer.”
The work is expected to be complete by the fall of 2019.
Blair McBride
Multimedia reporter
Send Blair an email
Like Lakes District News on Facebook