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VICTORIA, B.C. — The Government of British Columbia has announced a 400-metre section of Quesnel-Hixon Road near Quesnel, B.C. is being permanently closed, and the Cottonwood River Canyon Bridge is being taken out of service.

The road was damaged in 2021 by a landslide that caused severe displacement of the road just south of the Cottonwood River Canyon Bridge, forcing closure of the road and bridge, stated a release.

After three years of planning under the Cariboo Road Recovery Project, it was determined that reopening the road would require hundreds of millions of dollars for new road and bridge construction. “To ensure public safety and manage taxpayer funds wisely, a decision was made to permanently close this section of the road,” stated the province.

Ten Mile Lake Road, Olson Road, Morgan Road and Plett Road continue to provide access to Highway 97 and accommodate traffic volumes. The ministry is considering additional safety improvements in the area.