Construction of a temporary access road to Old Fort has been delayed as crews contend with wet conditions at the landslide site, according to B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation.
The ministry says rain and saturated ground have hampered excavation and debris removal efforts, preventing crews from advancing key work needed to rebuild access to the isolated northeast B.C. community.
Instead, construction crews spent Friday focusing on tasks not affected by weather or unstable terrain.
There is still no firm timeline for when full construction of the temporary two-lane access route will begin.
Officials say once work gets underway, it is expected to take several days to complete, but progress will depend heavily on site and weather conditions.
Despite the delays, the ministry reports there has been no additional ground movement at the landslide.
The temporary road is intended to restore limited access to Old Fort after a major slide last month wiped out part of the only road in and out of the community, pushing sections of the route more than 150 metres.
Construction was originally expected to begin Friday, with earlier estimates suggesting the work could take up to two weeks.
However, officials continue to warn that there will be no safe access across the slide area during construction and urge residents to follow all safety and traffic control measures in the work zone.
An evacuation order was issued April 20 following the landslide, which affected a community of about 150 residents and marked the third significant slide in the area since 2018.
The province says updates will continue as conditions change.