Highway 29
Connecting the community of Hudson's Hope with the Alaska Highway and Fort St. John, Highway 29 winds along the north side of the Peace River in northeastern British Columbia.
When reservoir filling begins in September 2023, the Site C reservoir will widen the Peace River by two-to-three times, covering parts of the highway.
As a result, BC Hydro is partnering with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to realign segments of Highway 29. Construction started in 2018 and will continue until mid-2023.
The work involves designing and building 32 km of highway, including new bridges at Cache Creek, Halfway River, Lynx Creek, Dry Creek and Farrell Creek.
Realigning each segment involves:
- Geotechnical, environmental, and archeological studies
- Improved highway alignments, including grading, paving and bridge construction
- Geotechnical stabilization works
- Moving electrical and phone lines to accommodate new highway construction
- Decommissioning the existing highway after construction
During construction, the highway will remain open to ensure efficient movement through the construction sites.
Some minor delays should be expected, and drivers should slow down and obey all traffic control personnel and signage. Get the latest traffic updates at drivebc.ca.
Learn more
- Highway 29 Description of construction activities PDF • 240 KB
- June 12, 2020: Public advisory - Hauling from Portage Mountain Quarry through Hudson's Hope
Highway 29 segments for realignment
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Digital rendering of future Cache Creek Bridge.
Segment length: 6 km
Construction: 2019 to 2023
At Cache Creek East, the new reservoir will cover the existing highway, requiring us to build a new highway alignment and a new bridge across Cache Creek. We will be building an embankment on the easternmost portion of this segment.
Current activities
- Construction work at Cache Creek currently includes grading, drainage and bridge foundation works.
- The contractor will continue stripping the alignment on the west side of Cache Creek. This may include hauling of merchantable timber to mills.
- The contractor will continue the construction of the highway grade, which includes stripping of topsoil, and hauling and placement of aggregate from the Peaceview Pit to the future highway alignment.
- The contractor continues to install bridge foundations, which includes the installation of concrete piles and the construction of concrete bridge piers. Bridge pier construction includes the installation of steel rebar, formwork and the placement of concrete in multiple lifts.
- The contractor is constructing a temporary detour and bridge beside the existing Cache Creek bridge, which will be used in the unlikely event that the existing bridge is impacted by the diversion head pond.
Click image to view full map details.
Digital rendering of future Cache Creek Bridge.
Segment length: 4 km
Construction: 2018 to 2021
Construction of Cache Creek West began in 2018. This four-kilometre segment of highway west of the Cache Creek Bridge will be realigned to prepare for reservoir filling in September 2023.
Current activities
- Construction is complete.
Click image to view full map details.
Digital rendering of future Dry Creek Bridge.
Segment length: 1.5 km
Construction: late 2020 to 2022
A segment of Highway 29 at Dry Creek will be covered by the new reservoir. The new alignment for this segment includes design and construction of 1.5 km of new highway and a 158-metre-long bridge.
Current activities
- Construction of a 192-metre-long bridge at Dry Creek is in progress. Current activities include drilling bedrock and installing rock anchors.
- The contractor will begin the construction of concrete bridge foundations.
Click image to view full map details.
Digital rendering of future Farrell Creek bridge.
Segment length: 2 km
Construction: late 2020 to 2023
This segment of highway at Farrell Creek will be covered by the new reservoir. The new alignment involves construction of a new bridge across Farrell Creek.
Current activities
- Construction is continuing on the new highway and bridge at Farrell Creek. Current activities include bridge foundation construction and the construction of the future highway grade./li>
- The construction of bridge foundations will continue including concrete foundation construction. Concrete bridge foundation construction includes the installation of rebar, formwork and pouring of concrete. The contractor will begin crushing aggregates on site.
Future activities
- Road construction, including grading, paving and bridge construction
Click image to view full map details.
Segment length: 3 km
Construction: early 2021 to 2023
While the existing stretch of Highway 29 east of Farrell Creek will not be covered by the new reservoir, it may be more prone to erosion. For this reason, we are relocating the highway north, outside of the impacted area.
Current activities
- The contractor will continue mobilizing to site to begin drainage and grading work.
- The contractor will begin stripping of borrow areas and the future highway grade. Materials will be excavated from borrow areas, hauled and placed to construct the highway.
- The contractor may mobilize an aggregate processing plant.
Click image to view full map details.
Segment length: 4 km
Construction: 2018 to 2023
We began preparing for construction of the realignment at Halfway River in early 2019. In this area, the reservoir will cover the existing highway and bridge, requiring re-alignment of the highway and construction of a new bridge. This new segment of highway will be three kilometres long, and the new bridge will be one kilometre long.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has awarded the contract for construction of this segment to Eiffage-Infracon Halfway River Joint Venture (Note: This joint venture is not affiliated with Halfway River First Nations).
Computer rendering of future bridge over Halfway River
Current activities
- Construction of a 1,042-metre-long bridge at Halfway River continues.
- The installation of a cast-in-place bridge deck is in progress. This includes the installation of scaffolding, formwork and rebar on top of the bridge steel girders and pre-cast deck panels. Concrete will be placed in multiple lifts and work may occur 24 hours a day during the placement of concrete.
- Bridge abutment construction is in progress, which includes installation of formwork, rebar and concrete, as well as placement of bridge end-fill aggregates.
- Grading will resume on the new highway alignment and will include the placement and compaction of aggregate on the highway embankment.
Click image to view full map details.
Learn more
Digital rendering of the future Lynx Creek bridge"
Segment length: 8 km
Construction: 2019 to 2023
As the longest segment of highway to be realigned, it will take four years to construct the Lynx Creek segment. These eight kilometres of highway include a new bridge, causeway, and embankment.
Click image to view full map details.
Current activities
- Activities at the site include stripping of work areas, the development of borrow sites and excavation and hauling of aggregates to construct the highway grade.
- Gravel extraction will occur at various locations including Gates Island; gravel will be hauled and placed along the new highway alignment.
- The installation of piles for the bridge foundations will begin. This includes drilling into bedrock, installing steel pile casings and rebar and pouring concrete.
