At members’ request, BCTA is establishing a Kicking Horse Canyon Communication Working Group to receive regular updates from Phase 4 Project leads, provide feedback on key issues for the trucking industry, and assist in the development of best practices for sharing traffic management strategies.

Phase 4 of the Kicking Horse Canyon Project is the final project phase and includes four-laning and other improvements along 4.8 km of Highway 1 east of Golden, from West Portal to Yoho Bridge. While construction is not expected to begin until fall 2020, realignment and expansion to create four lanes will require full highway closures.

Based on consultation with BCTA and other stakeholders in 2019, the Province is currently considering the following principles for the Project’s traffic management plan:

• During daytime in summer, avoid closures and minimize even brief stoppages.
• For spring and fall shoulder seasons, beginning in spring 2021, implement extended 24-hour closures of up to 5-6 weeks in the spring shoulder season and up to 10-11 weeks in the fall shoulder season, with brief peak-hour breaks for local commuter traffic. All other traffic, including commercial vehicles, would detour via Highway 93/95.
• Year round, emphasize nighttime work, when for shorter, full highway closures may occur.

This is a longer-term project with a projected construction timeline from fall 2020 to the end of 2023-early 2024, and includes the construction of four lanes of divided highway, improved avalanche and rock fall protection, fencing and passage for wildlife, and wider shoulders. For additional details, please visit the project’s “Planning for Construction Traffic Management” page.

BCTA continues to recommend that the project be completed as swiftly and consistently as possible, to ensure carriers can adequately plan ahead for closures and the increased time a detour will take.

The first Committee meeting with Project leads is scheduled for late May 2020. To join the Committee, please contact BCTA’s Vice President, Cory Paterson, by e-mail at coryp@bctrucking.com.

Background from the Bulletin

• October 28, 2019, “You’re Invited: Kicking Horse Canyon Information Sessions”
• September 23, 2019, “Update: Phase 4, Kicking Horse Canyon Project”