Taking a look at 31 years of woes on the Coquihalla Highway

Thousandsof drivershave been cursing the CoquihallaHighway the past few days as winter driving conditions leftsome slipping and sliding alongthe road,and strandedothers, forcing them tosleep overnight in their cars.

But angrily-waved fists offrustration are a long-standing British Columbia tradition along the 324-kilometre thoroughfare.

"The Coq," as it's affectionately known to many, has been controversial from the day politicians first announced it would be built by 1986.

As the busiestmountain passin B.C., the highway is prone to nasty weather, and the risk of an avalanche as well as vehicle collisions and stalls can all force it to close.

According to the Ministry of Transportation, the route starts at sea level in Hope and gains one kilometre in elevation over a 50-kilometre stretch.

Time saver

Many saw the project positively and continue to do so today, as it put years of scenic but at times nightmarish drives through the Interior to an end and savedtravellers almost three hours of driving.

The following CBC report from 1984 shows just how excited some were.

Anticipation builds for Coquihalla Highway construction

8 years ago

Duration 2:21

Rumours spread that the B.C. provincial government in 1984 was planning to build a new highway to the Interior.

However, the highway quickly took on criticism before shovels even hit the ground. Taxpayers first balked when they found out there would be a toll to travel along it.

Atotal of $845 millionin tolls were collected in the 22 years since the highway opened until the province stopped collecting them in 2008.

And while some communities along the route saw the highwayas a blessing,others that had once been regular stops for travellers saw their business nearly come to a halt.

Budget overruns

But the biggest criticism of the highway had to do with the millions of dollars in cost overruns that came with it.

The accusations intially surfaced after the first phase of the project, from Hope to Merritt, was completed in 1986.

The first two phases of the project were originally budgeted at $250 million, but ended up costing more than $400 million, according to archived reports at the time.

This video shows the opening of the first phase of the project, and the criticism that came with it:

Coquihalla Highway opens amidst budget criticism

8 years ago

Duration 2:43

Amidst the fanfare of the opening of the first leg of the Coquihalla, some cited budget overruns.

Critics said the rush to construct the highway in time for Expo 86 had led to costly and inefficient work practices like laying asphalt on snow-covered ground which critics said necessitated repairs shortly after the highway opened.

At first, Bill Bennett's government denied the budget overruns, but an inquiry later revealed the rush to construct the highway.

Critics said the province had tried to deceive the public about how much the projectwould cost.

But officials at the time defended the highway and said, overall, taxpayers got a good deal on the project.

Thousands use Coquihalladaily

Today, the Coquihalla sees upwards of 30,000 travellers per day during its busiest month, August.

Nearly one fourth of that traffic is trucks.

The routehas been credited withkickstartingan economic boom in theOkanaganand southern Interior.

But as hours-long closures over the last few days indicate, the highway canstill be a great source of frustration for many.

The province says the highway is most often closed because of "vehicle incidents" likestalls and trucks spinning out, followed by collisions and avalanche hazards.