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Update: Road repair needed for Highway 3A slide area

Work is still underway to clear a slide that occurred near Yellow Lake
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Crews working at clearing debris that covered Highway 3A at Yellow Lake late last week shutting the road down for several days. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

Clean up from the debris that slid onto Highway 3A and shut it down for four days was completed on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, geotechnical engineers have reassessed the site and have determined it is safe to re-open the highway to traffic.

The road re-opened to single lane, alternating traffic at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, however, the ministry stated their is still work required to repair the damage to the highway prior to it being open to two lanes of traffic.

The slid happened around 6 a.m. on April 13 about 18.5 kilometres east of Keremeos at Yellow Lake. A large amount of mud slide down from above, across the highway and into the popular fishing lake.

Flaggers are encouraging commuters to avoid Green Mountain Road due to its condition and rushing water in ditches close to the highway along with water spilling onto the road in some points.

The official detour for those trying to get to Penticton from Keremeos is to take Highway 3 to Osoyoos and then get on Highway 97 to the Kaleden junction. From Penticton to Keremeos take Highway 97 to Osoyoos and get on Highway 3.

The ministry advises motorists to check DriveBC as one hour closures may be required while work to repair the highway is underway.

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Submitted photo A truck comes to a stop at the site of a mudslide on Highway 3A.