UPDATE: North Coast highway now open with advisories in place
Published 10:49 am Tuesday, December 30, 2025
UPDATE
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 11:45 a.m.
The Highway 16 closures are now over, but road condition advisories still remain.
Single lane alternating traffic is still in effect between Lanwhill Road and Miller Road on Haida Gwaii, while access between Prince Rupert and Terrace has finally been restored.
Slippery sections, water polling and fog patches are still impacting the highway 24 kilometres west of Cedarvale and 63 kilometres east of Prince Rupert.
Water pooling is also impacting the highway from the Prince Rupert Ferry Terminal for 71.3 kilometres.
UPDATE
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 9:25 a.m.
Partial sections of Highway 16 are now open.
There is now single lane alternating traffic between Lanwhill Road and Miller Road on Haida Gwaii. The speed limit is 30 kilometres per hour and the road surface has been changed from asphalt to gravel.
The next update for Haida Gwaii will be provided by DriveBC in two days.
The Highway 16 closure between Prince Rupert and Terrace is smaller now, but access between the two cities remains blocked off.
Rain on compact snow, water pooling and sections of significant heavy water ponding are still impacting the highway one kilometre west of Terrace and 63 kilometres east of Prince Rupert.
“Travel advisory is in effect,” DriveBC stated. “Drivers are urged to use extra caution when travelling.
DriveBC will provide the next update at 10 a.m.
ORIGINAL STORY
Extreme flooding caused by heavy rainfall continues to plague the North Coast.
A 5.3-kilometre stretch of Highway 16 between Lawnhill Road and Miller Road on Haida Gwaii was shut down on Dec. 29 after a major washout.
The highway closure was also extended between Prince Rupert and Terrace due to slushy and slippery sections, as well as rain on compact snow, cutting off access between the two cities.
Assessments and construction are underway in all affected areas and there are no detours available at this time. There is also no estimated time of reopening for any highway section.
DriveBC will provide the next update for Prince Rupert and Terrace before 11 a.m. today (Dec. 30), while the next update for Haida Gwaii will be provided later in the afternoon.
