Drivers will be making a substantial lane change Thursday on Highway 1 at Salmon Arm’s west end when traffic is diverted to the new Salmon River bridge.
The shift is expected to take place sometime between noon and 1 p.m. on May 25, so work can be done on the older section of highway.
Dan Kelemen, a project supervisor with Springline Construction, the company working on the Salmon Arm West project, explained while this isn’t an official or full opening of the bridge, traffic will not be diverted back to the former route.
“There will be some traffic to get to Demille’s and Pedro’s going over the old bridge, but just local traffic only,” said Kelemen, explaining the time the shift occurs will depend on when paving is done.
“We’ve got a little bit of temporary paving to do to get the traffic off the old highway and onto the roundabouts and all that stuff.”
Kelemen asked that those driving the new section of highway follow all the new signs that will be posted explaining the traffic-pattern change.
In October 2021, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure project director Jennifer Fraser said the Salmon Arm West project, which includes the new, yet-to-be named bridge, roundabouts and four-laning, will be “substantially ready for everyone to use and drive in fall 2022.”
Read more: Transportation minister: Salmon Arm West Highway 1 project more than 50% complete
Read more: Ministry says Salmon Arm West project 45 per cent complete
lachlan@saobserver.net
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