The section of Highway 7 west of Agassiz has been partially reopened for essential travel only.
The highway had reopened last night for emergency vehicles. As of midday Wednesday (Nov. 17), essential travellers will be able to take the single-lane alternating route that connect Agassiz to the rest of the Lower Mainland.
“This is for people who have urgent needs, people who need to move livestock, people who need to move additional pump equipment to the Sumas Prairie area and the Barrowtown pump station,” said Transportation Minister Rob Fleming.
The transportation minister urged travellers to avoid the area if they can, adding that unnecessary traffic could slow down life-saving supplies and aid.
“There was some unnecessary congestion on Highway seven last night that impeded some of the efforts, but we got through it and people were cooperative,” Fleming said.
The section of Highway 7 to the east of hope, where a landslide has blocked the road, is expected to reopen to emergency traffic late on Wednesday, providing crucial access to Hope, which is currently blocked off in all directions.
The public is being asked to avoid travel to any area under an evacuation alert or order.
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