FORT ST. JOHN: The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has awarded the contract to construct a two-lane realignment of a segment of Highway 29 and replace the Halfway River Bridge northwest of Fort St. John.
The construction will help maintain safe, reliable highway access for people in the region following the Site C project's completion.
The $104.6-million construction contract was awarded to Eiffage-Infracon Halfway River Joint Venture (Note: This joint venture is not affiliated with Halfway River First Nations). Work includes 3.7 kilometres of new two-lane highway and the construction of a new one kilometre-long bridge crossing the Halfway River, about 500 metres north of the current structure.
Located approximately 45 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John, the Halfway River segment is one of several realignments planned along Highway 29. This work is being completed as part of BC Hydro's Site C hydroelectric project. Construction of the Halfway River segment is expected to begin this winter with completion in fall 2022.
Creating the Site C reservoir will require approximately 30 kilometres of Highway 29 to be realigned to maintain a safe and efficient route for all vehicles. These realignments are funded by BC Hydro, with this contract being the first public tender award and delivery carried out by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
As a majority of the work is taking place away from the current Highway 29 alignment, people travelling through the area will experience limited traffic disruptions. The existing highway alignment, including the current Halfway River Bridge, will remain open while construction of the new crossing takes place.
Any impacts to traffic will be shared with the public via @SiteCProject on Twitter and DriveBC.ca.
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