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Sitting at his car dealership office in Hope, B.C., Clarence (Bud) Gardner smiles holding a print out of a newspaper clipping from 40 years ago.
The photo on the front page shows Gardner, who was then the mayor of Hope, presenting then-premier Bill Bennett with a plaque to commemorate the opening of the Coquihalla Highway.
“It was a big party,” said Gardner, now 91. “I was very proud to be part of this deal. This big thing for B.C. and for Hope.”
This May marks 40 years since the completion of what the province has called the most ambitious highway project in B.C. history. The first phase of the highway, often referred to as “the Coq,” was completed in just 20 months — a pace never before achieved for a project of this scale in North America, according to B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation website.
The historic effort created a more efficient route to and from B.C. Interior and was completed in time to welcome visitors to Expo 86, the world fair in Vancouver with the theme of transportation and communication.
Former Hope mayor Clarence (Bud) Gardner shows a printout of the Hope Standard article, which captures him at the Coquihalla Highway opening ceremony alongside former premier Bill Bennett. (Baneet Braich/CBC News, The Hope Standard)
Advocating for highway potential
Gardner said one of his highlights from that Friday in 1986 was sitting with Bennett in a yellow 1961 Buick convertible and driving the highway to Merritt for the first time for more celebrations.
For years, Merritt lobbied the province to build a new route through the Coquihalla Pass to Hope, which was accessible only by cattle trails, according to the province.
“It was a little chilly … quite an interesting day talking to Bill about things like the Expo,” said Gardner. “I had a good time.”
Gardner said he long negotiated with B.C.’s public infrastructure department at the time for the Coquihalla to be central to his community.
“I was always of the opinion that the highway would be a great advantage to us, bring more people by the town, would increase the town’s business.”
The opening of the Coquihalla Highway included the premier driving up the highway with a cavalcade of vehicles in 1986. (CBC News)
Carving the Coquihalla Highway
Hope’s current mayor, Victor Smith, said he was also in the cavalcade of cars heading up the Coquihalla on opening day.
During its construction, Smith ran a supply company for industrial supplies. His drivers constantly went to the construction sites to deliver equipment.
“I worked long days,” Smith said laughing. “It was a thrilling time to show the people of this province what we can build in a short time.”
The Coquihalla Highway, once considered the most ambitious highway project in B.C.’s history, is marking its 40th year. The CBC’s Baneet Braich takes us back to Expo 86, where the historic push to build the transport lifeline began.
Carving the 120-kilometre stretch of the Coq in the first phase of construction was a supercharged engineering feat that involved more than 10,000 workers. Over 1,000 pieces of heavy equipment ran around the clock during the summer of 1985 to complete it, according to the province.
Smith still has souvenirs from the day he rode through the mountains to see the completed project: a bumper sticker that reads, “I drove the Coquihalla on Opening Day” and a brochure showing toll rates at the time.
Almost $845 million in tolls were collected in the 22 years between the opening of the highway and when tolls stopped being collected in 2008. It originally cost $848 million to build in three phases, the last of which was completed in 1990 with the opening of the Coquihalla Connector to Kelowna.
$183 million in goods moving per day: province
Decades later, the tolls have disappeared and the Coq remains critical to B.C.’s economy.
Jen Hepting has been sizzling up smokies and burgers high up in the mountains for 13 years in her food truck, The Lunch Bucket.
Jen Hepting has operated The Lunch Bucket food truck at a rest stop beside the Coquihalla Highway for 13 seasons. (Baneet Braich/CBC)
“What keeps us going here is our customers … we’ve seen their families grow up … we have truckers that bring their children,” Hepting said.
The highway transports approximately 70 per cent of total goods moving between the Lower Mainland and the B.C. Interior — and onward — equating to roughly $183 million in trucked goods per day, or nearly $67 billion annually, according to B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation.
Goods move even though the route can be treacherous at times.
Due to steep terrain, snow, slippery ice, floods and avalanches, the Coquihalla Highway can be a treacherous route. (Baneet Braich/CBC)
“There’s such great things that happen up here. But there’s also been lots of tragic things, whether it’s closures, accidents, floods, washing out our bridges, fires that have devastated certain areas,” said Hepting.
Despite the landscape’s unpredictability, Hepting has been committed to opening up each season alongside the route, which is more than a corridor to her.
“It’s just amazing to be up here and part of the journey everyone travels.”
Back down the mountain pass at his dealership in Hope, Gardner said experiencing the Coquihalla on day one remains a lasting memory.
“It was a great experience that I’ll always remember.”