Holiday travel plans for residents and tourists along Vancouver Island faced an unexpected snag as a rockslide on Christmas Day closed a significant portion of Highway 4.
The closure is between Cathedral Grove/MacMillan Provincial Park and Koen Road, essentially blocking the route that connects Port Alberni and Tofino/Ucluelet once again this year.
This closure, spanning approximately 10.4 kilometers around Cathedral Grove, comes as an unwelcome setback for travelers, especially during the festive season.
REMINDER – ⛔️ #BCHwy4 is CLOSED between Cathedral Grove/MacMillan Prov. Park and Koen Rd. due to debris flow and falling rock. Assessment in progress. Next update at 10:00 AM Dec. 26th#CameronLake #PortAlberni #VanIsle
ℹ️ https://t.co/v9G6UvS6Kn pic.twitter.com/CQ3rMMRKnF— DriveBC (@DriveBC) December 26, 2023
What exacerbates the issue is the absence of an available detour.
The location of the recent rockslide is in the area where a wildfire occurred last summer.
After the June wildfire in the surrounding hills, extensive work was done on the rock face to secure the area. Despite these efforts, on Christmas Day, rocks and debris fell onto the highway, making it unsafe for passage.
According to Drive BC, an update on the situation would be provided at 10 a.m. today and a geotechnical assessment was underway.
There are no detour routes available.
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