Traffic jams in Lillooet are about as rare as dodo bird sightings, but local drivers experienced stop-and-go driving and 10-to-15-minute delays Friday, Aug. 10 as work began on a project to re-pave Main Street.
“This has been planned for a long time, on a list of projects for Lillooet,” local Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure manager Brad Bushill told the News. He said drivers should anticipate more traffic delays this week and next week as crews begin to pave the street after grinding down the pavement to make it level with previously installed curbs and gutters.
In June, the ministry announced that a $2.8-million contract was awarded to Interoute Construction Ltd. of Crescent Valley to resurface a section of Highway 99, from Long Cayoosh Creek Bridge north for more than nine kilometres. As part of the contract, portions of Road 40 (Main Street) through Lillooet and Texas Creek Road will also be resurfaced, resulting in 6.5 kilometres of resurfaced local roads.
The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of September
As part of the overall improvements to local highways, Bushill said new speed limit signage would be installed on Highway 99 later this summer.
He said the speed limit will be increased to 100 km/h. from the Fountain Slide to the site of the old Pavilion General Store. The speed limit will be reduced to 80 in the Pavilion/Crown Lake area and then increased again to 90 from the Hat Creek corner to the junction with Highway 97 north of Cache Creek.
Bushill added that new concrete avalanche safety barriers will be installed on Highway 40.
He said the ministry will also be reviewing crosswalk locations in Lillooet.
