Highway 97 north of Summerland will be closed to all traffic for blasting at the rock slide site on Thursday, Nov. 16, from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 17, from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

For the safety of workers, blasting must take place during daylight hours. The highway will be reopened each day as soon as the work and safety assessments are completed, said the Ministry of Transportation.

Work to stabilize the rockslide continues with more planned blasting and rock removal this month. Blasts can be expected one to two times per week through the first half of December, the ministry added.

Highway 97 will continue to be two lanes of traffic throughout the winter. A contractor will carry out regular maintenance to ensure these lanes remain open and are safe for travel.

鈥淭he construction area has a traffic management plan that includes a 50 km/h speed limit to ensure the safety of drivers and workers throughout the work area, including the hill, and to ensure safe access to side roads within the work zone,鈥� said the ministry.

Although drivers are encouraged to use Highway 97, a detour around the slide area on the 201 Forest Service Road will be maintained and remain open until further notice. If using the detour route, drivers should be prepared with good winter tires, food, water and fuel.

The section of Highway 97 first closed on Aug. 28, after the rockslide. It reopened to single-lane alternating traffic on Sept. 11, and to two lanes on Sept. 21.