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Coal Creek Rd. to be closed Friday evening due to erosion

The road had seen some repair work done in January and February following November flood damage
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Erosion on Coal Creek Rd. on June 10, 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)

Coal Creek Rd. will see a closure Friday evening due to erosion, according to the City of Fernie.

“Coal Creek Road will be closed effective 6 p.m. this evening (June 10, 2022), beyond its intersection with River Road Extension Forest Service Road due to high flows causing erosion to the road in various locations past this point,” reads a Facebook post from the city.

Repair work was done in January and February to parts of the road to address damage from the November 2021 floods.

READ MORE: Coal Creek Rd repairs done

“The current Coal Creek levels are not currently causing significant concerns further downstream of this location, within the City limits. City crews will monitor water levels downstream of this location and along the Elk River, over the weekend,” the city post reads.

The City of Fernie and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will be putting up barriers and signs to mark the closure, which will be re-assessed after the weekend, the post reads.

“As we enter our spring freshet period, please exercise extra caution around fast-moving water, and ensure that you are prepared in the event of flooding.”

The post mentions two public self-fill sandbag stations, one at Railway Ave and Ridgemont Ave next to TJs Auto Body, and one at the main sewage lift station parking lot off Mt. McLean Dr. at Mt. Trinity.

It also suggests people stay informed about evacuation orders or alerts by signing up for the Regional Evacuation Notice System, which can be found at this link https://ca.voyent-alert.com/vras/client.html#!/registration.

The post concludes by pointing to the Regional District of East Kootenay flood preparedness guide issued this spring, which can be found at the regional district’s website.

READ MORE: Repairs to begin in earnest on Fernie trails damaged by November storms