B.C. to Start New Road Construction in Old Fort Friday

British Columbia's Ministry of Transportation announced Thursday that construction of a new two-lane access road will begin Friday in the remote community of Old Fort, after a landslide last month destroyed part of the sole route in and out of the area, forcing the evacuation of about 150 residents.

The ministry provided an update on the slide, which struck on April 20 and shifted the road alignment more than 100 metres. An evacuation order remains in effect for Old Fort, located in the province's northeast near Fort St. John. Crews will first establish a secure construction zone with fencing and use heavy equipment to clear slide debris southward from the damaged section. The project is expected to take up to two weeks, depending on weather and site safety conditions.

Officials emphasized that no safe passage will be available across the slide area during construction. They warned that ignoring traffic controls or entering the work zone could result in fines. The ministry plans to issue further updates as conditions evolve or new details emerge.

This marks the third major landslide to affect Old Fort since 2018, highlighting ongoing geological risks in the region prone to slope...