OLD FORT – Access to Old Fort has now been restored after weeks of isolation caused by a landslide.
Old Fort Road, the only way in and out of the community, has been reopened after being closed since May 15.
The Peace River Regional District has rescinded the evacuation order and replaced it with an evacuation alert for the area east of, but not including, 7711 Old Fort Road.
That means residents and service providers are permitted to return to the area. However, the evacuation alert serves as a precautionary measure due to the new road being temporary.
The PRRD says the Ministry of Transportation and Transit will be monitoring the temporary connection to see how it responds to changing conditions, including traffic volumes and weather such as rain.
Officials say a permanent surface, expected to be built with gravel, is planned for the fall, depending on the results of ongoing assessments.
The road opened at noon Thursday with single-lane, alternating traffic led by a pilot vehicle, in place until 7 p.m.
That will be followed by single-lane, alternating traffic controlled by lighting until Monday, when full two-lane access is expected to be restored.
Emergency Support Services were renewed for a three day period on May 20, but no further renewals are anticipated at this time.
The slide in Old Fort is the third landslide in nearly the same stretch of roadway since 2018.
On May 1, the Peace River Regional District reported the road had shifted a total of 104 metres.
The community of about 150 people was cut off for weeks while crews worked to carve a temporary route through unstable terrain, using matting and gravel to stabilize the slide area.