Construction Activities

BC Hydro is committed to providing Peace region residents, businesses, communities and Aboriginal groups with information about Site C construction activities in a timely manner.

Please sign up for construction updates to make sure you are receiving up-to-date information from the Site C project.

Highway 29

winding roads of 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 six 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 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 segments for realignment

Highway 29 overview
Click image to view full map details.

Digital rendering of Cache Creek bridge
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 is continuing on the Cache Creek East embankment including highway hauling of materials from the Peaceview Borrow area. Drivers can expect minor delays.

  • Site drainage
  • Excavation, placing and grading granular materials
  • Removing vegetation and debris
  • Geotechnical drilling
  • Grading, paving and bridge construction


Click image to view full map details.

Digital rendering of Cache Creek bridge
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 restarting at the Cache Creek West segment of Highway 29, including highway hauling of materials from the Peaceview Borrow area. Drivers can expect minor delays.
  • Grading and culvert installation
Future activities
  • Paving following construction of new highway alignment grade

Cache Creek West
Click image to view full map details.

Digital rendering of Dry Creek bridge
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.

Current activities
  • Archaeological studies
Future activities
  • Site preparation
  • Road construction, including grading, paving and culvert construction

Dry Creek
Click image to view full map details.

Digital rendering of Farrell Creek bridge
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
  • Archaeological studies
Future activities
  • Site preparation
  • Road construction, including grading, paving and bridge construction

Farrell Creek
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
  • n/a
Future activities
  • Site preparation
  • Road construction, including grading and paving

Farrell Creek East
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
  • Bridge construction continues. This includes operation of a concrete batch plant, aggregate plant, aggregate pit development, installation of bridge piles, excavation at east and west bridge abutments, installation of bridge pier rebar, formwork and concrete, and hauling and stockpiling of materials. Rock hauling from Portage Mountain Quarry may begin.
  • Contractor mobilization, including moving equipment to site, disposing of wood waste, and removing vegetation and topsoil
  • Setting up a concrete batch plant
  • Bridge construction, involving site preparation, installation of steel piles (24-hour operation), excavation, hauling and stockpiling of materials, and construction of a temporary berm within the river.

Halfway River
Click image to view full map details.

Learn more

Digital rendering of Lynx Creek bridge
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.

Current activities
  • Lynx Creek East embankment construction continues, with the contractor based at Dry Creek. This includes excavation, hauling and stockpiling of aggregates.
  • Lynx Creek East in-river construction works will continue with excavation and construction of gravel causeways and a highway embankment in the Peace River. Boaters are advised to stay clear of the construction areas.
  • Rock hauling may occur from the Portage Mountain Quarry to the Lynx Creek construction site near the Lynx Creek bridge, and to the Dry Creek construction site.
  • To deter waterfowl from nesting in Highway 29 construction areas, bird deterrents have been installed at two locations on the Peace River near Lynx Creek.
  • Chipping and disposal of wood waste will continue at Lynx Creek, near the Lynx Creek bridge.
Learn more

Lynx Creek
Click image to view full map details.