BC Hydro says the new Halfway River bridge on Highway 29 opened to traffic Thursday afternoon.
Construction of the new span span included 3.7 kilometres of new two-lane highway and the construction of a new, one kilometre-long bridge crossing the Halfway River, about 500 metres north of the old bridge structure being replaced.
Eiffage-Infracon Halfway River Joint Venture was given the $104.6-million contract for the build, which began in 2020.
The new bridge was needed to make way for the Site C hydroelectric reservoir, expected to start filling as early as this year.
The reservoir will flood 100-plus kilometres of the Peace River and its tributaries from Fort St. John to the Peace Canyon Dam at Hudson's Hope. The dam required 32 kilometres of Highway 29 to be realigned and four bridges to be replaced to make way for the future reservoir.
BC Hydro, which funded the realignments, says all new bridges and highway segments between Fort St. John and Hudson’s Hope are now open to traffic. It says all remaining work on Highway 29 will be complete in the coming months.
