Conservative MLAs call on NDP government to improve Okanagan highway [Video]

On-and-off closures along Highway 97 between Peachland, B.C., and Summerland have the Conservatives demanding the NDP take action.

“In recent years this critical corridor has been plagued by the closures and delays and risks that are simply unacceptable,” Harman Bhangu, Langley-Abbotsford Conservative MLA.

A rockslide came down on that stretch of highway in 2023, leaving it with only two travel lanes while the Ministry of Transportation conducts stabilization work.

“This disrupted thousands of lives and took the NDP almost a year to clear. Our province cannot afford to have highways shut down for months at a time, our NDP government’s temporary reactive measures and leisurely timeframes are simply not good enough,” said Misty Van Popta, Langley-Walnut Grove Conservative MLA.

The Ministry of Transportation has since removed over 46,500 cubic metres of material as well as installed rock anchors.

In a statement, the ministry said, “A comprehensive stabilization plan has been developed to ensure the area remains secure, and …