The Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) mainline and the highway underpass at the site were severely impacted, closing the highway for more than two months. A temporary at-grade highway crossing of the CPKC tracks at the site allowed the highway to reopen in January 2022, but motorists encountered frequent delays from passing trains.

Now a three-lane overpass separating highway and rail traffic has been completed and is fully open, although minor traffic delays are to be expected, to allow the final site clean-up to be carried out safely and efficiently.

A parking lot under the east end of the overpass has been constructed, to provide community members with a safe place to leave their vehicles while fishing or hiking in the area.

Ledcor — a member of the Tank Hill Alliance — recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the work at Tank Hill. “The bridge will enhance safety and reliability on the Trans-Canada Highway by eliminating the temporary level crossing and reducing train-related delays,” said a post on Ledcor’s Facebook page.

“Thank you to everyone involved for their hard work and commitment to this vital project.”

As one major project ends, however, another begins. A contractor has been selected for the Sackum Overhead Bridge project on Highway 1, some 22 kilometres east of Lytton and 13 kilometres west of Spences Bridge.

The project will include the design and construction of a modern two-lane bridge over the CPKC mainline, to replace the current bridge, which is approaching the end of its design life. The new bridge will have a 75-year design life, and will be compliant with current design standards and requirements for clearance and protection of rail-crossing structures. It will also provide better accommodation for cyclists and pedestrians.

An additional upgrade at the site will improve safety by realigning a section of the highway east of the bridge. The upgrade will remove a short passing lane that no longer meets standards, and will create a gentler curve, wider and more consistent shoulders, and a new concrete barrier to help prevent vehicles from leaving the road.

Enviro-Ex Contracting has been awarded the $22.6 million contract for the bridge replacement. Construction will start in the coming months, and is expected to be complete in summer 2027.

Another project resulting from the 2021 atmospheric river is replacement of the culvert at Gladwin, 10 kilometres east of Lytton. Construction work began there during the last week of October, and drivers can expect to see more equipment and workers at the site over the next several weeks.

Earlier in October, the Sacred 7 — a group of Elders and Knowledge Keepers from local Nlaka’pamux Nations — led a blessing ceremony before work started on the project. The water blessing, held at Gladwin Creek, included a prayer, a tobacco offering, drumming, and a message from the Elders to the project team.

Drivers can find information about highway closures and delays at www.drivebc.ca.

Unfortunately for them, speed limits matter even more than usual when days get shorter and weather gets wilder. In October, BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) carried out two campaigns — Drive Relative to Conditions and Pedestrian Awareness — and found that British Columbians still have a lot of work to do when it comes to making roads safer for pedestrians, vulnerable road users, and everyone else.

Throughout the month, BCHP wrote 7,888 speeding tickets:

Northern B.C. (including most communities north of 100 Mile House): 1,486 tickets

Central B.C. (including Kamloops, Merritt, Kelowna, Clearwater): 1,443 tickets

Kootenay region (including Revelstoke, Nelson, Cranbrook, Golden): 1,171 tickets

Vancouver Island: 1,598 tickets

South Coast (including Metro Vancouver, Sea to Sky country, the Fraser Valley): 2,167 tickets

Special Traffic Operations (units working outside a defined jurisdiction): 23 tickets

“As drivers we are guilty of thinking that we are exceptional,” says Cpl. Michael McLaughlin with BCHP. “We make excuses about why the rules should not apply to us.

“But once you hit another human being, or an animal, or badly injure yourself, it’s too late to be smarter or act better.”

Drivers are reminded that posted speed limits are created for ideal, dry, clear, daytime conditions. If traffic is heavy, weather is poor, or it’s dark, drivers have an obligation to slow down. With the increased hazard of fall and winter driving conditions, it’s extremely important to be sober, alert, and undistracted.

Pedestrians and other vulnerable road users are encouraged to be alert and put their phones away and wear brighter clothing with reflective piping. It doesn’t hurt to carry a flashlight, and if you’re walking a dog, make sure to keep it on a leash and use a reflective collar or other device so it can be seen.

“None of us are special drivers or invulnerable pedestrians,” says McLaughlin. “The weather has turned now and it’s dark most of the time. Slow down and avoid getting a ticket or something worse. Help us create a safer and better experience on our roads.”

The derailment took place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, with one locomotive, four cars loaded with aviation fuel, five cars loaded with powdered gypsum, one car loaded with pulp products, and seven empty cars leaving the tracks approximately 20 kilometres west of Kamloops.

While leaks from the fuel cars were sealed by crews, it was estimated that some 80,000 litres of fuel had been spilled during the derailment. This was subsequently changed to 70,000 litres which spilled on the shore above, and into, Kamloops Lake.

CPKC initiated water sampling on Nov. 2 and samples were immediately sent to a third-party, qualified B.C-based laboratory for priority analysis. Additional water sampling results have been received and are being shared with BC Environment, Interior Health, and local water system operators.

As of Nov. 9, test results from all water samples collected Monday through Friday (Nov. 3–7) continue to show no hydrocarbon detections. Additional daily water samples continue to be taken and sent for analysis. Sampling has been done in several locations, including Savona, Walhachin, and Ashcroft.

Containment booms remain in the water along the shore, and shoreline assessment is continuing.

CPKC environmental crews remain on site working with federal, provincial, local, and Indigenous responders on the cleanup. The company notes that it is fully committed to the cleanup of the site.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) operates the water systems in Savona and Walhachin, and says that regular testing of water quality will continue in relation to the derailment. Any change in status to either water system will be communicated by the TNRD through Voyent Alert, if necessary.

There are other privately-owned and operated water systems that draw water from Kamloops Lake, including Tobiano. Anyone who has questions about a private water system should contact their water system operator.

TNRD staff continue to monitor the situation, along with the Ministry of Environment and Interior Health. The environment ministry provides daily updates on spill response and cleanup; to view the ministry’s incident webpage, go to https://bit.ly/4hWJn56.

A Nov. 10 public information meeting about the derailment can be viewed on the TNRD’s YouTube page.