Emil Anderson Construction
Coquihalla CAT5
Project Overview
In November 2021, an atmospheric river shut down Highway 5 after flooding and washouts damaged more than 20 sites along 130 km of the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt. Emil Anderson Construction and Emil Anderson Maintenance joined forces with Kiewit, acting quickly and persevering through incredibly challenging winter conditions to restore the highway to four lanes within the tight schedule.
Highlights
- Alliance project between Emil Anderson Construction, Kiewit, and the Ministry of Transportation.
- Involved the design and construction of eight bridges, including two temporary structures and six permanent bridges.
- Construction operated year-round through heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures.
- Collaboration with local Indigenous communities resulted in wildlife and aquatic habitat restoration at each bridge site, including the addition of wildlife crossings.
A Rapid Turnaround
As one of the busiest mountain passes in BC, the Highway 5 repairs needed to be completed in record time. More than 300 workers, using 200 pieces of equipment, moved over 400,000 m³ of material to repair and reopen the highway to commercial traffic in 35 days. It reopened to all traffic 38 days later on January 19, 2022.