Province Commits to Address Rutting Issues on Highway 1

The provincial government of British Columbia has announced plans to address the rutting problem along Highway 1 in Salmon Arm. During a city council meeting on October 14, Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth confirmed that the province is committed to resurfacing the most severely affected areas later this year.

At the meeting, Mayor Alan Harrison described the condition of the highway as “becoming increasingly dangerous.” He noted that the rutting creates a series of bumps at various intersections, including Shuswap, Alexander, and 4th Avenue, which he deemed unacceptable for drivers.

In July 2025, the city received communication from the Ministry of Transportation and Transit indicating that officials were aware of the highway’s deteriorating condition. The ministry had initiated a condition assessment of the Trans-Canada Highway corridor through Salmon Arm, as highlighted by Harrison.

As of August 2025, no further updates were provided regarding the assessment. However, in December, Minister Farnworth sent a letter to the city outlining the historical context of the rutting issue in the Salmon Arm area. He stated that the ministry had engaged a pavement engineering contractor to investigate the problem more thoroughly.

The contractor’s work includes evaluating the previous resurfacing, conducted approximately ten years ago, to determine its effectiveness in combating rutting. Farnworth mentioned that the contractor will also develop a treatment plan aimed at mitigating future occurrences of rutting along the corridor.

“I want to assure you the ministry remains committed to resurfacing the entire highway through Salmon Arm in 2027 and to addressing the worst sections where rutting is present in 2026,” Farnworth noted in his letter. The expected completion of the treatment plan is set for summer 2026.

During the city council’s meeting on January 12, 2026, council members expressed their appreciation for the information provided in Farnworth’s letter. Councillor Kevin Flynn remarked, “It’s nice to see that they’re committing and hopefully will come through on testing. In my mind, this is somewhat good news. Even though it might not happen as fast as we want, I’d much rather see it get done properly and figure out why we get the depressions, bumps, wearing down so fast.”

The commitment from the provincial government is significant for residents and commuters who rely on this vital transportation route. As the province moves forward with its plans, stakeholders will be watching closely to ensure that the necessary improvements are made to enhance safety and traffic flow in the community.