South Okanagan - North Beach Rockslide
Last updated on August 1, 2025
On August 28, 2023, Highway 97, north of Summerland, above North Beach Road was closed because of a rockslide that deposited 3,000 cubic metres of material onto the highway surface. This project will stabalize the highway and return it to four lanes.
Traffic impacts
Drivers are asked to use caution, obey speed limits and follow directions of traffic-control personnel.
- Daily traffic control on site
- Expected travel delays are 3 minutes or less
- Highway 97 will remain open to two-way traffic between Callan Road and Okanagan Lake Provincial Park north of Summerland
- The road may need to be closed again with limited notice if deemed unsafe
- Closures are more likely during heavy rainfall or snowfall
Check DriveBC for current conditions and events.
Commercial vehicles - Oversize loads
Oversized loads are permitted Sunday, Monday, Wednesday between 9 pm and 5 am.
- Size: Oversized loads equal to or greater than 3.8 m are permitted through the site
- Days: Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday
- Time: Between 9 pm and 5 am
- Information required: Provide details of the width of the wide load for pre-planning purposes
Contact Traffic Control 24 hours in advance of your arrival on site to ensure traffic control resources are available for your passage.
Traffic Control on site
Phone: 236-990-7233
or: 778-939-7233
If no response from Traffic Control on site, contact
AIM Roads 24 hour
Phone: 1-866-222-4204
Long-term stabilization work will return the highway to its original four-lane configuration. This includes:
- Building a retaining wall and catchment area at the base of the slope, along with a concrete wall next to the highway for added reinforcement
- Installing additional rock anchors to secure the slope
- Repairing the road’s surface
- Drainage improvements
On this page
- Status
- Schedule
- Initial investigation
- Short term response – reopening Highway 97
- Slide material removal
- Stabilization
- Photo gallery
- Archive (News)
Status
- Emil Anderson Construction Inc. has been awarded a contract for the long-term stabilization work that will return the highway to its original four-lane configuration
- Temporary stabilization work is complete, and the site is safely shut down until long-term stabilization work begins
- Geotechnical engineers continue to monitor the slide site for changes in ground conditions
Schedule
Construction is expected to begin in fall 2025 and finish in spring 2027.
Project cost
$23.2 million
Initial investigation
After the rockfall event on August 28, Geotechnical engineers discovered tension cracks extending further upslope beyond the initial rockfall area.
The tension cracks were up to 2 m wide and up to 20 m deep, revealing that the initial rockfall was part a larger event that required mitigation to protect road users and the highway.
Short term response - reopening Highway 97
To manage the initial emergency, a 22 m high temporary soil and rock berm was constructed along the toe of the slide to resist further slope movement. This temporary berm acts as a buttress for holding back slide movement until long-term stabilization measures can be implemented.
Preliminary recovery has been completed. Investigations into the slide revealed tension cracks above the source area of the rockfall, indicating the presence of a larger slide
During the construction of the berm, a 24/7 slide monitoring program was established. Specialized survey equipment is used to continuously monitor the area for slide movement. If slide movement is detected, the highway can be closed on short notice to protect road users and site workers
Slide material removal
From October 2023 to June 2024, blasting operations were conducted to reduce the pressure on the hillside and protect the road from further rockfall. The unloaded material has been moved to off-site storage.
More than 46,500 m3 of material has been removed from the slope since the rockfall in August 2023.
Stabilization
Geotehnical engineers have determined additional long-term stabilization measures are required in this area.
Steel rock anchors (32 mm to 75 mm thick and up to approximately 30 m in length) have been installed in the slide zone to permanently stabilize the rockslide area.
The temporary berm will be replaced by a Mechanically Stabilized Earth retaining wall, which will form a buttress to complement the anchors.
Photo gallery
Archive
News
- 2025-07-31 - Long-term repairs set to begin on North Beach rockslid
- 2024/11/27 - Permanent stabilization work on Highway 97 near Summerland begins in 2025
- 2024/07/04 - Major blasting complete on Highway 97 near Summerland
- 2024/03/27 - No blasting closures planned on Highway 97 on long weekend
- 2023/09/21 - Highway 97 opens two lanes of traffic after rockslide
Territorial Acknowledgement
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure acknowledges with respect and thanks that this endeavor is occurring within the traditional territories of the Syilx peoples represented by and with the assistance of the Okanagan Indian Band, Osoyoos Indian Band, Penticton Indian Band, Upper Nicola Band, Upper and Lower Similkameen Indian Bands, and Westbank First Nation.
lim’limpt (Thank you)
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Contact information
For more information contact:
Maximilian Birkner, PMP
Project Manager
Phone: 778-220-4408
Samuel Baxter
Project Management Technician
Phone: 778-694-5767
