Highway 3 reopens to all traffic amid forecast for winter storms

With most commercial vehicles now moving along Highway 5, also known as the Coquihalla Highway, the province has also liftedtravel restrictions on Highway 3,allowing the route between Hope and Princeton to be used for non-essential travel starting Tuesday.

B.C. Transport Minister Rob Fleming said temporary repair work has gone faster than planned, leading the province to open Highway 5for essential travel about a month earlier than predicted and Highway 3 for all travellers.

Vern Schram, the general manager ofManning Park Resort, says he's excited to welcome guests at the resort againas it hasbeen closed ever since the atmospheric river damaged several B.C.highways, including Highway 3, in mid-November.

"Based on our location, we had no businesses because we could not have guests travel to us," Schram said on the CBC's The Early Edition. "We've basically been closed since Nov. 14."

He said he was worried about having to lay off his staff if roads did not reopen in time for the holidays.

"We have 200 staff that were potentially going to be laid off because we had no indication that the highwaywould be openingso soon," he said.

"It was very rewarding to be able to talk to the staff and say that they would have positions very quickly."

He said the resort has seen a spike in calls ever since the announcement was made to lift essential travel restrictions on Highway 3 on Monday.

"We've got hundreds of emailsand phone calls every day for people that had cancelled reservations wanting to rebook if there's opportunities," Schram said.

Road conditions

Fleming said restrictions have also been lifted on Highway 99from Pemberton to Lillooet, but large commercial vehicles are still not permitted on that section of the route.

He also cautioned travellers using Highway 3 and Highway 99 to drive according to winter conditions on themountainous routes where weather can change quickly.

On Tuesday, Environment Canada issued a winter storm warning for the Coquihalla from Hope to Meritt andHighway 3 from Hope to Princeton.

Snowfall amounts of 25 and 40 cm for the Coquihalla, and from 10 to 20 cm for Highway 3 are expected to fall starting Tuesday evening continuing until Thursday.

"If you are driving through in the mountain passes, either Sea to Sky or Allison Pass,we're looking at quite a bit of snow ... and a risk of freezing rain," said Environment Canada metrologist Trevor Smith.

Jeanette Elmoresays her family is planning todriveHighway 99 from Pemberton to spend Christmas with her sisterin Kelowna.

"We regularly travel with not only thespare tire, but blankets, water, shovels and tire chains as well as extra clothes and food," Elmore said on the CBC's The Early Edition.

"We are prepared, but we are still opento cancelling or changing plans last minute, depending on the weather condition."

She said the drive from Pemberton to Kelowna takes them a little more than five hours, but she's expecting the trip to be longer thisyear.