Abstract Manager

The Cariboo region of British Columbia recently faced unprecedented transportation disruptions due to a series of complex landslides, which have impacted road infrastructure, community connectivity, and regional economic stability. Ten major sites were identified and delivered under the Cariboo Road Recovery Projects (the Program).

The BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MoTT) is responsible for the ownership and operation of the highway network within the Cariboo. MoTT investigated three different approaches to recovering from the disruptions caused by these landslides; repairing the road in it’s existing location, reconstructing the road in a more resilient location, or closing the road and providing permanent alternative access. Each of these options were carefully considered and analyzed and permanent alternative access was the right decision for two of the ten projects.

Durrell Rd is a two-lane low-volume residential road southwest of Quesnel, BC with a long history of slope instability.  A significant landslide event impacted and closed this road in 2021 and it has remained unsafe and impassable. The remaining road network to connect back to Highway 97 and nearby Quesnel and Williams Lake remained unaffected and available for local traffic. Following investigation, planning, and options analysis across multiple project disciplines, the Ministry is proceeding with work to permanently close a 400-metre segment of Durrell Road.

This presentation will focus on the approach MoTT took to deciding to not restore access, the public response to this decision, and how this decision will influence MoTT’s response to future disaster recovery. The audience for this presentation is road agencies as well as qualified professionals who work in disaster recovery. The complexity and cost of disaster recovery requires thoughtful and sometimes unpopular decision making