The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has started the construction of a temporary bridge at Tsq’Escen Road in the South Cariboo.
The road which provides access to the main reserve of Tsq’escen’ (Canim Lake Band) has been closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles due to flooding.
A Ministry spokesperson said the decision to install the bridge was made Friday, May 8 after water levels continued to rise for the last week.
Witnessing the prep work first hand on May 9, Tsq’escen’ Chief Helen Henderson said they could see the water level has dropped about a foot on the west side from the marsh when crews had started digging up the road to release the flow and alleviate water levels on the community’s graveyard and homes.
Read More: Canim Lake Band impacted by rising flood waters
Work on the temporary bridge will continue throughout the weekend.
Once removed, Henderson said she was told the Ministry will take the necessary improvements to restore the road and put in more culverts.
Work to install several culverts at Bob’s Bridge on Kicking Horse Road, in which both sides of the bridge have flooded over, has also commenced.
Henderson said the road is still passable at this point with one resident still impacted.
“The rising waters and its levels are just too much even with all the sandbagging taking place,” she said earlier.
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