Skip to content

Highway 97 slide in Summerland under geotechnical review

This the third slide in that area in less than a month
32741353_web1_230524-PWN-SUM-SLideDetails_1

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be doing a further assessment of the slope stability where a landslide came down onto Highway 97 in Summerland on Monday night.

The Ministry confirmed that an initial geotechnical assessment was conducted before crews began to clear the slide on May 15, but a further review will get underway.

Stacey Praught captured video of the slide happening.

The slide covered a 40-metre-long section of the highway and all four lanes of traffic. The silt and clay hillside gave way abruptly sending material tumbling down onto the road in a large cloud.

In some lanes, the debris was at least eight feet deep.

READ MORE: Highway 97 in Summerland reopened following major slide

No vehicles were damaged, but it took from when the slide happened at 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. for a single lane to be opened back up for alternating traffic.

The entire slide was approximately 120-metres long, and it came less than a month after two other slides.

The two smaller slides occurred on April 26 and 28, and didn’t block the highway.

READ MORE: VIDEO: Family drive through huge dust cloud from a slide on Hwy 97 in Summerland

Traffic is still limited to a single alternating lane, and the ministry did not provide an estimate for when the highway will be fully reopened.

“Travelers should expect delays and watch for traffic control,” they advised.

Updates will be available at www.DriveBC.ca.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

<>

Don’t miss a single story and get them delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up today for the Penticton Western News Newsletter.

<>

@PentictonNews
newstips@pentictonwesternnews.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.



Brennan Phillips

About the Author: Brennan Phillips

Brennan was raised in the Okanagan and is thankful every day that he gets to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
Read more