An extended closure of Highway 1 in Kicking Horse Canyon near Golden is on the horizon. The motorway will be closed from midday on September 26 until December 1 between Golden and Castle Junction to allow for construction work. Travelers passing through the area should take the 93S and 95 freeways, adding about 1.5 hours to the trip. Destinations between Castle Junction and the construction zone, such as Lake Louise and Field, will continue to be accessible from the east throughout the closure. The freeway will reopen temporarily for the Thanksgiving weekend from noon on October 7th to noon on October 11th. Drivers should expect traffic congestion and some delays on the alternate route during peak periods, which include weekends and the Nov. 11 Memorial Day holiday. It is recommended to travel during off-peak periods where possible, the Department for Transport and Infrastructure said. The construction zone will briefly open to limited local and commuter traffic, with pre-arranged permits twice a day and a pilot vehicle escort during half-hours starting at 7am. and end at 4:30 p.m. Similar escorts will be provided for school buses to ensure that students have uninterrupted access to school. Emergency vehicles in response mode will have a transition escort at short notice. The closure is necessary to allow crews to proceed with work that cannot be done safely with shorter interruptions. This summer, project progress includes placing beams and constructing bridge decks on new bridges and viaducts. Between the elevated structures, construction of the retaining walls to carry the wider highway continues. After the autumn closure, some of the newly constructed elements will be commissioned to allow the remaining adjacent works to be carried out. When work is completed in winter 2023/24, the 4.8km section of the narrow, winding two-lane road will be converted to a modern four-lane standard.
