UPDATE: Highway 1 between Hope and Lytton reopens, remaining highways linking Interior and Lower Mainland closed due to adverse weather

UPDATE (6:30 a.m.): The Trans-Canada Highway between Hope and Lytton reopened after an overnight closure due to adverse weather conditions.

However, the remaining three major highways connecting B.C.’s Interior to the Lower Mainland are closed with no estimated time of reopening as an atmospheric river washes over several southern areas of the province.

Updates on the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt and Highway 99 between Lillooet and Pemberton are due at 8:00 a.m. while an update on Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton is due at 9:00 a.m.

EARLIER:

All four major highways connecting the B.C. Interior to the Lower Mainland are closed as an atmospheric river washes over several southern areas of the province.

The Ministry of Transportation and Transit has closed highways 1, 3, 5 and 99 either as a precaution or due to flooding or debris on the roadway.

The Coquihalla is closed between Hope and Merritt due to flooding at Sowaqua, while Trans-Canada is closed between Hope and Lytton due to adverse weather conditions.

Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton is closed due to debris on the roadway, while Highway 99 is closed between Lillooet and Pemberton due to rain, deteriorating conditions, and an increased risk of debris flows.

Elsewhere, the Ministry notes that the eastbound lanes of Highway 1 are closed between Highway 9 and Hope, while Highway 7 is closed west of Hope between Highway 9 and Ross Road.

Highway 11 at the Sumas border crossing is also closed to commercial traffic, though its open to local traffic only.

“There is no timeline for reopening,” the Ministry said, in a Wednesday (Dec. 10) evening statement. “Contractors are on standby to clear debris and reopen highways as soon as it is safe to do so.”

A travel advisory is in place for parts of the Fraser Valley due to heavy rainfall. Provincial officials are urging people to avoid non-essential travel in affected areas and to not drive through flooded roads.

B.C. Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene said the City of Abbotsford has put about 1,000 properties under evacuation alert, while several properties in Chilliwack were earlier put under evacuation order.

Yellow rainfall warnings are in effect across much of southern B.C. and portions of western and southern Vancouver Island. An orange warning is in place for parts of the Fraser Valley, with between 90 and 130 mm of rain possible.

Additionally, Highway 8 between Merritt and Spences Bridge – which is still being repaired after an atmospheric river in 2021 – is open to local traffic only as it is still an active construction zone.

“Drivers are cautioned that other provincial roadways could be closed with little or no notice,” the Ministry statement added. “Ministry staff and maintenance contractors continue to patrol highways to identify areas of concern.”

East of Kamloops, the Trans-Canada is also closed between Revelstoke and Golden due to avalanche control work, which is expected to wrap up at midnight. Eastbound commercial vehicles are being held in Malakwa, while passenger vehicles can bypass Malakwa using the frontage road.

You can find the latest updates on road conditions at DriveBC here.