Highway closures report and peoples need for assistance

[seewood]

^^^^ That is going to be another engineering feat. Those slopes are constantly moving... down.
In the meantime, one way only via canoe.

[Queen K]

Fortunately Highway 8 is re-opened as of Wednesday.
Unfortunately Highway 8 is re-opened to the public in Winter, as in, I will be waiting until Spring to see it myself. In October of 2021 we embarked on a day trip to Spence's Bridge just for fun. I took extensive photos along the way never realizing those may be the last extensive photos for the entire highway.

But I am very glad to see it reopened for the locals, traffic and general operations and businesses. The Storm of November 15, 2021 will not soon be forgotten.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kamloops/ ... ens#395486

[Babba_not_Gump]

I always though Hwy 8 was one of the beautiful roads in this part of the province, second only to Hwy 5a.
But like you, it will be next year. We prefer the fall.

[Queen K]

I also prefer Fall, but this time I plan for three seasons. I do wonder how Sunshine Valley was affected and chafe at the fact that I never went back to specifically drive it. I also regret not taking more photos of the former train station at a certain intersection figuring I have photos of it already. I wonder if a certain number of graveyards were affected, including a private one closer to Spence's Bridge.

[Queen K]

Here's a better explanation for Highway 8 and possibly why it was so glorious pre-2021. I also thought that they were "finished" but no, it's merely open to the public.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Kamloops/ ... ister-says

[bob vernon]

Starting Thursday, there will be a fall of snow begin on all highways in the southern interior. That's December 22 when a lot of people will be travelling. This snow which begin in the cold air that is now on the coast and move inland, will eventually turn into rain on the coastal highways by Saturday. But continue as snow in the southern interior. This is ALL in the forecasts that are being given to the highways contractors. There are even hints of freezing rain in some valleys as the cold air persists and the warm Pacific air slides up over it. It'll be a major weather event.

This might mean having to have trucks on the roads over Christmas and, gasp, having to pay overtime. The stockholders and head office in Spain might not like that.

[bob vernon]

Today, Friday December 30, saw a fall of snow overnight. Highway 97 between Armstrong and Vernon was BRUTAL this morning. Just awful. It looked like it hadn't been touched overnight.

[I Think]

Went down to the coast for christmas. On the way down roads from home to Hedley were pretty good, snow had been cleared and everyone was doing well. As we neared Hedley the snow clearing was not so good, by the time we got to Princeton there was lots of brown sanded muck on the highway, they had been sanding but not plowing, climbing the mine hill out of Princeton was pretty grim, and the rest of the Hope Princeton was a text book studyl of the effects of lack of maintenance, it was bloody awful. Traction was not too bad as temps were in the minus 20's so the car was ok but the ruts and bumps were solid and made for a very rough ride. Got to Hope and the blizzard was going full swing. Everybody seemed to be moving tho there were a number of cars and trucks in the ditch. ( Ask me about the lady driving the highway with 1/2 inch of ice on her windshield and no wipers}

Trip home yesterday the roads were bare and wet for the whole trip except for the Hope Princeton, a rough soggy slippery mess with the snow on the road turning to brown slush. Dangerous as hell, we took a few slides just hanging on for the ride. (I used to drive logging trucks on icy mountain roads, which experience likely saved us a few times).

It is clear to me that privatizing Highway maintenance was and is, a disaster and should be ended. We may have paid more for highway maintenance but we got much better service. The argument that there were too many workers back then, ignores the fact that the pay those workers got, was spent locally, in the community, now the cream is syphoned off to get spent on luxury homes and yachts by the owners of the companies fleecing us, as they do as little as possible to maintain our rights of way.

[nepal]

It is clear to me that privatizing Highway maintenance was and is, a disaster and should be ended. We may have paid more for highway maintenance but we got much better service. The argument that there were too many workers back then, ignores the fact that the pay those workers got, was spent locally, in the community, now the cream is syphoned off to get spent on luxury homes and yachts by the owners of the companies fleecing us, as they do as little as possible to maintain our rights of way.

We don’t know if privatized road maintenance (anything) is less expensive. Factor in the profit margin, overhead, rebuilding fleets at the 5yr end of each contract, increased vehicle insurance payouts due to poor road maintenance, etc… Big $funds love buying these as cash-cow investments.

Time for a detailed cost comparison analysis between public versus private. We may have been net better with the public system. A responsible government will do such analysis and make the results public.
.
$$$ Here’s how corporate investors look at buying infrastructure, and why they lean on politicians cause the privatization of public services. Quality service to the public is not part of the equation. $$$: