2018 Update: From Parks Canada
Infrastructure Investments
Significant investments are being made to upgrade infrastructure, address historic contamination issues, and improve visitor services in Mount Revelstoke and Glacier national parks. Including both new and ongoing projects, here is a snapshot of what is coming up for 2018.
Rogers Pass West – Glacier National Park
Rogers Pass will continue to be a hive of construction activity this summer. Please bear with us as we complete this essential work. Rogers Pass Discovery Centre will be open and accessible throughout the summer.
· Starting in April, work will begin to remove the old service station and lodge buildings, and safely dispose of hazardous building materials. Following removal of the two buildings, work will be done to address soil contamination remaining from both operation of these facilities and historic railway operations, and the sites will be remediated.
· In early summer, upgrades to aging sewer and waterworks infrastructure will be completed.
· Later in the summer, work is expected to begin on a new permanent washroom facility, small picnic area and parking lot on the site of the former service station.
· Work to expand the traffic holding area at Rogers Pass summit for use during avalanche control or highway emergencies will also be completed this year.
We thank everyone for their interest and input on the future of Rogers Pass. We look forward to sharing a summary of what we heard. In the meantime, we are pleased to note that some visitor services commonly requested on the comment forms had already been identified as a priority for Rogers Pass including the permanent washroom facility, picnic area and additional parking.
Avalanche Mitigations – Glacier National Park
Parks Canada is an international leader in avalanche safety. In Glacier National Park, there are 134 avalanches paths along a 40-km stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway. Ongoing investments in new technology and infrastructure support a world-class avalanche forecasting program, increase the efficiency of the avalanche control program, and improve safety through the area.
Projects continuing from 2017 include snowshed drainage improvements and column repairs in several sheds, as well as LED lighting installation in the Lens snowshed. From May to October, expect delays of up to 20 minutes, reduced speed zones and/or traffic pattern changes in some snowsheds.
Other projects include new static defense structures, or mounds, near highway elevation to reduce the risk of avalanches reaching the highway, and the installation of avalanche detection devices within the Rogers Pass corridor to improve avalanche forecasting. This work should have little to no impact on highway travellers.
Trans-Canada Highway Improvements – Glacier National Park
From May through October, work will continue on improvements to the Trans-Canada Highway through Glacier National Park. Expect delays of up to 20 minutes, reduced speed zones in work areas, and/or lane or shoulder closures. Work this year includes:
· Illecillewaet Curve and Rogers Pass Summit safety improvements, including: the addition of a new westbound passing lane; access improvements for Illecillewaet Campground, Hermit Trailhead and Summit Monument; culvert replacements; and installation of new directional signs and new guardrails;
· Pavement repairs and concrete barrier replacement at various locations along the Trans-Canada Highway through Glacier National Park;
· In September and October, rock scaling will occur on the Beaver Hill; and
· On-going construction of the Beaver Valley Traffic Holding Area, a safe parking area to be used during avalanche control or emergency highway closures.
Enhancing Visitor Services – Mount Revelstoke National Park
In 2017, Parks Canada was pleased to announce the grand opening of both the new Nels’ Knickers interpretive exhibit and the Beaver Lodge Bike Park on the lower slopes of Mount Revelstoke. To further enhance this lower Mount Revelstoke experience, work on a new campground is expected to resume in the summer of 2018. Work on the campground should have little impact on park visitors.
Trail improvements – Mount Revelstoke and Glacier national parks
Two key trail networks are being revitalized: the 14 high-visitation trails at the summit in Mount Revelstoke National Park, and the ten, 125-year old hiking trails in the popular Illecillewaet and Asulkan valleys in Glacier National Park. This includes erosion control, signage upgrades, critical repairs to trails and trail structures, and options for barrier free access in Mount Revelstoke. While impacts to visitors should be minimal, be sure to check the latest trail conditions report at www.pc.gc.ca/revelstoketrails orwww.pc.gc.ca/glaciertrails.
