If you are heading out on the Sea to Sky Highway today, here is everything you need to know about the current road conditions.
Today's driving weather
According to Environment Canada, the rain will be gone by Friday.
Today, July 9, we can expect more periods of rain, though, with a high of 19 C and a low of 13 C overnight.
Fog patches will develop after midnight.
ICBC offers the following advice for drivers: Maintain a safe following distance. In good weather, stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead of you or three seconds on a highway. In bad weather [like rain], increase your following distance to four seconds.
BCAA has these further for driving in the rain:
- Slow down.
- Steer clear of potholes.
- Keep your distance.
"Pick a reference marker and when the other car passes it, you must be able to count “one thousand and one, one thousand and two, one thousand and three” before you pass the same marker. For very bad conditions, keep counting: “one thousand and four, one thousand and five, one thousand and six.” This way, in an emergency, you’ll have more time to react and stop or avoid an incident." - Make sure your tires are in good condition.
- Turn off the cruise control.
- Lower the risk of hydroplaning.
"If there are noticeable ruts down the middle of the highway, shining in the rain, avoid driving in them, even if it means staying a little off-centre in your lane." - Be careful when stopping. "When approaching a stop sign or red light, brake sooner and more gently than usual."
- Make sure you can be seen. "You should turn on your headlights and taillights to make sure you’re visible to drivers both in front and behind you—even in daylight."
- Make sure your windshield wipers are in good shape.
- If visibility gets poor then stop. "If it’s raining so hard that your vision is impaired to the point that driving becomes dangerous, choose a safe place to pull off the road."
Crashes happen on the Sea to Sky Highway.
Sometimes, there can be lengthy road closures of five hours or more, while a serious crash is investigated and cleared.
That means travellers should be prepared to be stopped for that long in the heat.
Be sure to carry plenty of water, snacks, a pillow, blanket, car charger, and a first aid kit.
Hats and sunscreen can come in handy as well.
Watch for wildlife
Watch for wildlife as deer, coyotes, and bears have recently been seen along or on the highway in our region.
Report any wildlife sightings or encounters to the Conservation Officer Service Hotline at 1.877.952.7277.
The provides the following tips to help drivers avoid hitting wildlife on highways:
- Be extra cautious at dawn, dusk, and night—these are peak animal movement times
- Follow posted speed limits and scan the ditches for movement or for the reflection of eyes from your headlights
- Slow down when you see an animal—some animals like deer freeze in panic, while moose may run along the road
- Many animals travel in groups, so if you see one, slow down until you are well past
- Obey wildlife warning signs—they’re placed in high-risk areas based on real data
- Never swerve suddenly to avoid an animal, as this can lead to a more serious collision—brake firmly and stay in your lane
- Use high beams when possible to spot animals sooner
Forest service roads (FSR)
For full forest service road access reports, go to.
If you are new to driving FSRs,
Traffic events & roadwork alerts
Check out our map below, full of events happening along Highway 99.
Click on any of the pins to see more information about each event.
Stay safe out there.
Spit Road closure
The District announced on July 4 that there is a temporary road closure for Spit Rd.
"[We have] been advised that Spit Road will be temporarily closed at Culvert #2 to allow for invasive species removal," reads a
"All work is being completed according to best management practices provided by the Province of BC and in consultation with the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council (SSISC)."
The work will take up to two weeks to complete and it is anticipated that the road will be closed to the public through to July 18.
"Please respect road and trail closure signage. Thanks for your patience while this work is being completed!" the District said.
Gas Prices as of July 9
The removal of the motor fuel carbon tax has had an impact on local gas prices.
In 麻豆社国产today, regular gas in town is going for 159.9 cents per litre at most area stations. That is the cheapest in the corridor.
Before the carbon tax was removed, gas in town was at about 178.9¢/L
(The B.C. government cancelled the carbon tax by introducing legislation to drop the rate to $0, effective April 1.)
In Whistler, regular gas is on offer for 161.9¢/L, at most local stations.
In Pemby, gas is on offer for 159.9¢/L, at AC Gas, 7432 Prospect St.
For comparison, GasBuddy reports that Manitoba has the cheapest gas, at ¢/L, in Winnipeg.
But, if you are on your way to Vancouver, the cheapest gas we could find there today was at the Petro-Canada at 710 SE Marine Dr., where petrol is 152.9¢/L, at the pump, again according to .
Duffey news
If you drive The Duffey (Duffey Lake Road—Highway 99 to non-locals), you have likely wondered if the dang road is set to be repaved anytime soon.
Well, we have the answer.
The Ministry of Transportation and Transit told The 麻豆社国产 that there are plans to complete 15 km of hard surfacing on Highway 99 between Cayoosh Bridge and Boulder Creek Bridges, 10 to 25 km west of Lillooet.
This work started on July 3, and runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday. The anticipated end of construction will be Sept. 12.
"The construction speed zone during construction periods will be a maximum of 50 km/hr and will remain that posted speed until the roadway has been cleaned of loose rock and debris. The zone will be single lane alternating traffic that is controlled using a pilot car," sent by Northwest Sealcoating Company and posted to the SLRD website.
