For the third time in four weeks, motorists travelling Highway 4 between Qualicum Beach and Port Alberni found themselves stopped for a road closure at Angel Rock alongside Cameron Lake Tuesday evening, Nov. 14.
This time, Mother Nature was to blame.
A small rock slide that occured shortly before 8 p.m. Nov. 14 forced a highway closure of approximately two hours, DriveBC reported. The Coombs-Hilliers Volunteer Fire Department shared a notice on social media just before 9 p.m. alerting motorists to potential delays on the highway, and drivers stuck in the closure also provided updates via the Facebook page Port Alberni Summit.
The incident occurred following a day of heavy, steady rainfall throughout the mid-Vancouver Island region.
After highway contract crews inspected the rock face for additional risks and removed the largest of the boulders, witnesses reported, single-lane, alternating traffic was resumed after 9:30 p.m. as clean-up was completed.
DriveBC reported the highway reopened shortly before 10 p.m.
On Oct. 19, a motor vehicle incident at Angel Rock closed Highway 4 for more than an hour and caused extensive afternoon commute backups in each direction.
Then, on Nov. 1, a semi truck and trailer hauling lumber products rolled over on the same corner, resulting in alternating closures and single-lane traffic openings totalling more than five hours.
— NEWS Staff