Crews have started construction for a new four-way, signalized intersection at Highway 97 and Swanson Lumber Road (259 Road), southeast of Fort St. John.
“This new intersection along Highway 97 will increase driver safety for commuters and tourists, while also improving traffic flow for commercial vehicles along one of British Columbia’s key trade and commuter corridors,” said Catherine McKenna, federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
The project is estimated to be complete in fall 2021. The $11.1-million project was funded through $6.4 million from the province and $4.7 million from the federal government.
“Highway 97 is a crucial corridor for our province’s natural resource industries, and this project provides an important safety improvement for the people who rely on it,” said Claire Trevena, B.C.’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “We’ve also heard from people that traffic is increasing, making it harder to move through the area. Projects such as this new intersection are investments in our communities, helping to create good jobs for people.”
Highway 97 is the longest continuously numbered route in B.C., running 2,081 kilometres from the Canada-United States border (near Osoyoos) in the south to the B.C.-Yukon border (north of Watson Lake) in the north.
For further information on the highway construction project, click here.
Featured image: Claire Trevena, B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, speaks at an August 11, 2020 announcement. (Screenshot via YouTube.)
