Nine days after a rock slide closed Highway 3A at Yellow Lake entirely, work crews are finishing up clearing the road to fully-reopen it.

After the slide in the early hours of April 15, it took crews three days to open acces back up for single-lane alternating traffic. 

Geotechnical engineers who surveyed the slide had found the need for additional blasting and rock removal from the hillside before it could be made fully safe. 

AIM Roads shared on social media that the highway was scheduled to fully reopen by the end of day on April 24. DriveBC confirmed the reopening just after 5 p.m.

The post thanked the Ministry of Transportation and Transit and the Lower Similkameen and Penticton Indian Bands for their collaboration on clearing the road. 

AIM Roads asked for drivers to continue to use caution while driving through the area. 

After the initial closure, the only routes available were by taking Highway 3 through Osoyoos, a lenghty detour for many travelers. 

The local MLA, Donegal Wilson, spoke in the Legislature on April 15 and called for more proactive spending on highway infrastructure for arteries like 3A that provide access to rural communities.