The Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt, which was closed late Thursday morning due to severe weather and multiple crashes, is set to reopen around 4 p.m. PT, according to DriveBC. DriveBC said there were a number of vehicle incidents Thursday on the highway before it was closed. VSA Highway Maintenance — the company that maintains the highway — said the area was experiencing freezing rain. A number of youth workers from the Lower Mainland are among the stranded travellers in Merritt. Meanwhile the RCMP's East Kootenay Traffic Services is asking motorists to reconsider plans to drive on East Kootenay highways, as a severe winter storm moves through the area.

Source: CBC News February 09, 2017 20:53 UTC