Challenge
In November 2021, an extreme atmospheric river swept across southern British Columbia following a record wildfire season, triggering catastrophic flooding and widespread infrastructure damage. Highway 8 in the Nicola Valley was among the hardest hit, with 25 sites losing at least one lane and more than seven kilometres of roadway washed away.
As a critical corridor connecting residents, businesses, and the Nlaka’pamux Nation, the highway closure disrupted access to homes, services, and economic activity. The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Transit tasked AECOM and its multidisciplinary team with restoring the highway while addressing climate resilience, strict Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) funding criteria, tight timelines, and the area’s significant environmental, archaeological, and cultural sensitivities.
Solution
AECOM led a multidisciplinary design team to deliver recovery works for Projects D and E, transforming temporary emergency repairs into permanent infrastructure that met modern engineering standards while respecting corridor constraints.
The team applied a context-sensitive, risk-informed design approach that balanced resiliency, cost effectiveness, and minimal disturbance to sensitive lands and habitats. Key measures included:
- Reconstructing road base and pavement and refining highway geometry to improve safety
- Modernizing drainage systems and implementing robust riprap erosion protection along the Nicola River
- Leveraging extensive geotechnical investigations from the response phase to accelerate delivery and avoid duplication
- Compressing multiple design stages into a single scoping deliverable, enabling advancement to detailed design and tender within five months
- Developing corridor-specific hydrotechnical criteria based on the 2021 flood of record to strengthen performance against future extreme events
Environmental and cultural stewardship guided decision-making. Designs minimized expansion beyond the existing footprint, supported habitat offsetting and riparian restoration, and incorporated Indigenous input throughout planning and delivery. Local Indigenous participation was embedded into construction, supporting economic reconciliation and community capacity building.
Outcome
The Highway 8 Recovery Program restored eight major washout sites and re-established a vital transportation link for Nicola Valley communities.
Technical Results
- Permanent reinstatement of damaged corridor sections
- Improved roadway geometry, drainage performance, and erosion protection
- Climate-informed designs enhancing long-term flood resilience
- Risk-optimized geotechnical solutions meeting or exceeding pre-event conditions
Delivery performance
- Concept to detailed design completed in five months
- Tender ready in early 2025 with construction completed in fall 2025
Environmental and community impact
- Reduced disturbance to undisturbed land and sensitive habitats
- Creation of new fish habitat channels and riparian planting using native species
- Strong Indigenous participation, including delivery of construction by a local Indigenous-owned business
- Restored safe connectivity, economic activity, and community confidence following a major climate disaster
Together, these outcomes demonstrate how integrated engineering, collaborative delivery, and culturally informed design can rebuild critical infrastructure while strengthening resilience for the future.
Contact for more information:
Faisal Siddiqui, Senior Director, Highway Engineering
Kelowna, BC
Faisal.siddiqui@aecom.com