From Oliver Daily News - update from our MLA

 

From MLA Roly Russell

DECEMBER 14, 2021, 2:08 PM

Highway 3 & the holidays:

Just a brief update: we’ve been receiving a lot of email and phone calls about how important it is for families (and friends) to be reunited for the Christmas season, this year even more than most. In light of the pandemic, and then the devastating floods in the Similkameen valley, I absolutely understand this need. 

I also very clearly understand that for many, the idea of purchasing flights for a family is well beyond reach. And, of course, bus transportation in our rural communities is a real logistical challenge as well. Given all of that, and the restriction of Highway 3 to anything but essential traffic, families are struggling to make Christmas and other holiday plans for the weeks ahead.

I’m reaching out to let you know that for the two weeks I’ve been active in trying to help find possible solutions for this, and I appreciate the suggestions that people have been sharing with me. I’ve had conversations with both Ministers Fleming and Farnworth to be sure they understand the importance of this for rural families that are separated (they do!), as well as see if they can identify a way that we can possibly achieve this safely.

We all understand, I believe and hope, that prioritizing essential travel is vital for our health and security on both sides of the closures. The recent few weeks have shown how delicate the balance can be in terms of keeping Highway 3 access open, and how little wiggle room there is to safely add additional volume.

As Minster Fleming has said, crews are working so tirelessly to get the Coquihalla reopened as soon as possible, which is an essential part of this process to reunite families for the holiday. Even with two feet of snow over the weekend, the roughly 300 people working the get the Coq back open didn’t skip a beat.

So, no breakthroughs yet, but I will commit to keep trying, and I’m confident the Ministers have it top-of-mind; I certainly know how exceptionally important it is, this year especially, to be close to the family and friends we love. I hope we can make it happen.
/Roly