Ministry says construction beginning on temporary road access to Old Fort

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says that work crews are starting to build a temporary road for residents of Old Fort to access the community, now that the area surrounding the landslide is stable enough to start work.

The Ministry said that the temporary road will be built over the slide debris and is expected to be complete within three weeks. Crews and equipment are beginning work on the west end of the slide zone with safe work procedures in place, including a monitoring system to ensure the safety of all workers.

The Ministry said that more details will be provided as work on the road progresses.

On Wednesday, the Peace River Regional District announced that geotechnical experts had informed them that the landslide had slowed dramatically since it first occurred nearly three weeks ago, which led to the PRRD rescinding or reducing evacuation orders for areas near the slide.

Earlier today the City of Fort St. John said in a release that the evacuation alert it had issued for the two southernmost sewage lagoons has also been rescinded.