Coquihalla Highway Open: DriveBC Debunks Google Maps' Closure Claim

A wave of confusion recently swept across British Columbia's traveling public as Google Maps erroneously displayed the vital Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) as being closed. This glitch prompted immediate concern among commuters, truckers, and anyone planning to travel between the Lower Mainland and the B.C.

Interior, leading to a flurry of questions and uncertainty.

However, clarity swiftly arrived from the official source for B.C. road conditions: DriveBC. The provincial road information service promptly took to social media and its official channels to debunk the widespread digital misinformation.

"The Coquihalla Highway is NOT closed," DriveBC emphatically stated, adding that there were "no closures in effect" for Highway 5 between Hope and Merritt.

The Coquihalla is more than just a road; it's a critical artery for the province, particularly for commercial traffic and essential travel connecting major population centers to interior communities.

Its closure, even a falsely reported one, can have significant economic and logistical impacts, disrupting supply chains and delaying countless journeys. The brief period of incorrect information from a widely used platform like Google Maps underscored the immense reliance many place on digital navigation tools.

While the exact cause of Google Maps' error wasn't immediately specified, such discrepancies can often arise from outdated data, temporary system glitches, or the misinterpretation of historical closure information.

Regardless of the technical root, the incident served as a potent reminder for all travelers: always cross-reference information with official, real-time sources like DriveBC before making travel decisions.

For now, travelers can breathe a sigh of relief. The scenic and crucial Coquihalla Highway remains fully operational, providing uninterrupted passage for all vehicles.

Keep those travel plans on track, but always prioritize official government advisories for the most accurate road conditions.