There were always alternatives in place!

While the news that Highway 16 is now open to traffic and the land link to Terrace and points east is back in service, things were never quite as dire as many seemed to think they were.

On Friday, The Daily News provided details on the plans that were in place to supply the north should the highway closure have lasted for any length of time.

Supplies, post getting through
The Daily News
Friday, June 08, 2007

Both Terrace and Prince Rupert are using alternate methods of getting goods in and out of their communities as barges come up the coast and Terrace residents take advantage of the Cranberry Connector to get around the floods and mudslide.

However, Highway 16 remains closed between Kitwanga and Prince Rupert due to flooding and officials with the River Forecast Centre said there is still danger for the northern areas fed by the Bulkley and Stikine, Skeena and upper Fraser rivers, where large snowpacks remain.

As of Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., the Skeena was discharging a whopping 7,600 cubic metres per second and continuing to rise slowly.

"Significant snowpacks still remain in all three drainages (Skeena, Nass and Bulkley Valley) and these rivers will continue to generate large volumes of snow melt for the next couple of weeks," said Allan Chapman, of the River Forecast Centre.

Flooding is expected to continue throughout the weekend and waters could rise, depending on whether there is a lot of hot or rainy weather in the region.

The highway is flooded in several locations and the water must recede from the highway before the Ministry of Transportation can assess what repairs may be needed.

Goods for grocery stores are being brought in to the community by barge and mail is moving on B.C. Ferries and by using air transport.

According to Canada Post, they will be using alternative modes of transportation for both inbound and outbound mail to and from Prince Rupert in the coming days to ensure residents receive their letters and packages.

"Ensuring safe and timely mail delivery to residents of Prince Rupert is our priority," said Canada Post's Local Area Manager, Danny Mussell.

"As flooding presents risks and challenges to our employees and customers, we are making sure disruption to mail service is minimized for Prince Rupert residents."

Yesterday, the Ministry of Transportation announced it is implementing scheduled one-way traffic, in alternating directions every two hours, on the Cranberry Connector route to allow people and goods more safely and efficiently in and out of Terrace.

The Cranberry Connector is a four-hour detour route linking Terrace and Kitwanga via the Nisga'a Highway, the Cranberry Forest Service Road (a 55-kilometre, narrow logging road) and Highway 37.

In Terrace on Thursday, the city issued an evacuation alert for scores of homes on the southside of the city in case the flooding Skeena River rises any higher.

Terrace is expecting rain Saturday and showers Sunday with a high of 18, while Rupert is expecting rain Saturday and periods of rain Sunday with a high of 15.