No word on detour opening

UPDATE: 2:15 p.m.

Ministry representatives say they still don't have an exact day they expect the Callan Road detour to be open, meaning the Monday morning commute is still in question.

Fourteen pieces of heavy equipment are now on site and they will be working throughout the weekend. 

"Our crews are doing everything they can," said Paula Cousins, MoTI deputy director for the Southern Interior Region.

"I'm hopeful that by Sunday we'll have a better sense of when we can expect to have that section open."

Eight scalers are currently working on ropes with two ground support workers, and the ministry says they will have the highway open "as soon as it is safe to do so."

Castanet will continue to update throughout the weekend. 

ORIGINAL: 12:08 p.m.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says work is well underway at Callan Road on the eventual two-lane detour for the slide area on Highway 97.

Drilling and scaling work are ongoing Friday. The geotechnical team continues to see slope movement on the south end of the slide, 3 to 5 millimetres of new movement. 

Crews are working 10-hour shifts per day on the Callan Road update, with the hope that it will be open early next week. 

The 201 Forest Service Road is being maintained for vehicles 5 tons or less.

A media information call is scheduled for Friday afternoon, after which Castanet will provide more updates.