Highway repair crews are back at work tackling the persistent rockslide challenges along Highway 97 near Summerland, as provincial officials push to stabilize the troublesome section before summer tourist season arrives in full force.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced yesterday that specialized slope stabilization work has resumed at the site of last August’s major rockslide that closed the vital Okanagan corridor for nearly three weeks. This second phase focuses on installing rock bolts and meshing to prevent further slides.
“This section has been nothing short of a headache for local businesses and commuters,” said Nathan Reynolds, owner of Summerland Orchard Market, whose produce deliveries faced hour-long detours last summer. “Every day the highway was closed meant thousands in lost revenue.”
The August 2023 rockslide sent thousands of cubic meters of rock cascading onto the highway, forcing the closure of the main north-south artery through the Okanagan Valley. Emergency responders initially created a four-kilometer detour along the 201 Forest Service Road, though that temporary solution proved challenging for commercial vehicles and tourists unfamiliar with the area.
According to ministry officials, geotechnical engineers have been monitoring the site continuously, with special attention to how the spring thaw affects soil stability. Early data suggested that additional work would be necessary before the busy summer season, when Highway 97 carries peak tourist traffic to Okanagan wineries and lakefront destinations.
“We’re taking a comprehensive approach to ensure long-term stability,” said Kate Anderson, regional director for the Transportation Ministry. “The technical challenges of working on this slope while maintaining traffic flow require careful coordination.”
Local municipal leaders expressed relief at seeing work resume. Summerland Mayor Toni Boot noted that businesses along the corridor reported 25-40% revenue drops during last year’s closure. “The economic impact rippled through our entire community,” Boot said during Tuesday’s council meeting. “Getting ahead of any potential issues before summer is critical.”
The repairs come with traffic implications, though not as severe as the complete closure experienced last August. Drivers should expect single-lane alternating traffic between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, with delays of up to 20 minutes. Weekend work will be minimal to accommodate higher traffic volumes, though engineers will maintain monitoring systems around the clock.
The B.C. government estimates the total cost of the two-phase repair project will exceed $6.5 million, including emergency response, geotechnical assessments, and the long-term stabilization measures currently underway.
For Penticton resident Samantha Clarke, who commutes to Kelowna three times weekly, the repair work represents necessary pain. “After getting stuck in that initial closure and taking the forest service detour in my sedan, I’m happy to wait a few extra minutes now if it prevents another full closure,” she said while filling up at the Summerland Esso station.
Climate researchers at the University of British Columbia’s Earth Sciences Department have linked increasing freeze-thaw cycles with greater rockslide risk throughout the province’s interior highways. Professor James Werner notes that the Okanagan corridor faces particular challenges due to its steep slopes and varying rock formations.
“What we’re seeing along Highway 97 isn’t just bad luck,” Werner explained in a phone interview. “These increasingly volatile weather patterns—where we get sudden warming followed by sharp freezing—create ideal conditions for slope failures.”
The ministry hopes to complete this phase of stabilization work by mid-June, just as tourist traffic begins to surge through the corridor. Officials have also committed to developing a longer-term slope monitoring system along vulnerable sections of the highway.
Okanagan Tourism Association spokesperson Melissa Chen says they’re cautiously optimistic about the summer season. “After last year’s challenges, our members have been watching the hillside with anxiety. Having this work done proactively should reassure visitors planning their summer trips.”
Business owners in communities between Penticton and Kelowna reported mixed feelings about the current traffic management plan. While most appreciate the preventative approach, some worry about the cumulative effect of delays on casual visitors.
“When tourists hit a 20-minute delay, some will turn around and skip our town altogether,” said Victor Nguyen, who operates a winery tour company in Summerland. “But we learned last year that a full closure is far worse than some delays.”
The Transportation Ministry has established an alert system where drivers can receive text updates about changing conditions along the route. They’ve also partnered with local chambers of commerce to ensure businesses have current information to share with customers planning visits to the region.
For now, area residents seem to have adopted a pragmatic view of the situation. As Peachland resident Ellen Tomkins put it while waiting in the alternating traffic queue: “Better to fix it right than fix it twice. Last summer taught us all just how essential this stretch of road is to our communities.”
