UPDATE: 2:15 p.m.

Extra barriers have been installed to make sure a bypass around Highway 97 is safe for drivers. 

Ministry spokesperson Paula Cousins said concrete blocks have been stacked on Highway 97 as extra protection from Callan Road. 

“In an abundance of caution we have installed a lock-block wall at the bottom of the slide site … to ensure that materials and rock do no reach Callan Road,” she said.

About 4,000 cubic metres of material was brought in to build a ramp connecting Callan Road to Highway 97.

“We had crews working around the clock to get this constructed and we made changes to the intersection on the north end to make sure commercial vehicles can safety navigate the new detour route,” said Cousins.

A blast took place at the slope site on Monday and crews continue to work to get the moving ground stable.

“We haven’t seen any increase in movement, but not a significant decrease yet,” said Cousins. 

An overnight reading said a section of the slope continues to move at about 3 millimetres overnight. 

Cousins could not provided an estimated time when Highway 97 will reopen and could not comment on it would be days or even weeks. 

ORIGINAL: 12:35 p.m.

A much shorter bypass around the rockslide in Summerland opened Monday morning. 

The route along Callan Road takes only an extra minute or two and runs parallel to and just below the closed Highway 97.

The 900-metre detour was created to accommodate both light vehicles and commercial vehicles. The speed limit along the route is 30 km/h. Wide loads are restricted to between midnight and 5 a.m., however.

The rockslide closed Highway 97 on Feb. 2, and the route has been closed since, with no estimated time of reopening. 

There will be occasional and periodic stoppages on Callan Road to allow for blasting work above. They will not occur between the hours of 7-9 a.m. or 4-6 p.m. 

Crews are continuing to work on the slope above Highway 97, and geotechnical assessments will continue.