Motorists travelling over the South Taylor Hill near Fort St. John say they were left waiting for hours Tuesday, prompting intervention from the local MLA after widespread complaints online
Drivers reported delays of up to two hours while ARGO Road Maintenance carried out sweeping and maintenance work along the stretch of highway.
Many took to social media, saying the backups caused them to miss medical appointments and even flights out of Fort St. John.
The work was expected to involve single-lane alternating traffic with traffic control personnel in place, along with advance notice of delays posted on DriveBC.
However, multiple motorists say those measures were either unclear or not in place, contributing to the significant congestion.
In response to the situation, Larry Neufeld, the MLA for Peace River South, raised concerns directly with the province’s transportation minister.
Neufeld says the contractor has since acknowledged the problems, pointing to an oversized work zone as a key factor behind the lengthy delays.
Neufeld says changes are now being made, including reducing the size of the work zone and improving coordination of pilot vehicles to avoid any more undue delays.
The MLA says he will continue to monitor the situation and has committed to raising any further concerns with the minister’s office if needed.
The maintenance work on the hill is expected to wrap up Thursday.
CJDC TV News contacted Argo Road Maintenance for a comment on this story. They did not call us back.