(UPDATE: Jan. 23 at 6:11 am): The highway has now fully reopened.

(Original story: Jan. 22 at 12:15 pm): The final planned closure of the week for flood-related repairs around Hope will begin tonight.

While the work is being done around the Hwy 3/5 junction just east of Hope, it will result in a full southbound closure of the Coquihalla (Hwy 5) starting in Merritt.

Photo Credit: DriveBCThe Coquihalla southbound at Zopkios.

According to the Ministry of Transportation, the highway will be shut down to southbound traffic beginning at 10 pm and reopen at 4 am Friday.

Motorists needing to travel between Merritt and Hope during the closure are advised to use the Trans-Canada (Hwy 1) or Hope-Princeton (Hwy 3) as detours.

Westbound traffic on Hwy 3 will move through the reduced-speed work zone at the Hwy 3/5 junction.

Repair work in relation to December’s flooding has been ongoing throughout the week around Hope and there were daytime closures of Hwy 1 and Hwy 3 on Tuesday and Wednesday.