Work is set to begin on upgrades to two key rest areas along the Trans-Canada Highway in British Columbia, improving safety, accessibility and amenities for truck drivers and motorists.

“Of the over 200 highway rest areas my ministry is responsible for, almost 70% can accommodate commercial vehicles,” Transportation and Transit Minister Mike Farnworth said in a news release. “Increasing this number – improving the accessibility and capacity of our rest areas – is an important way we can support the commercial trucking industry that people and businesses across the province depend on.”

In February 2026, Okanagan Aggregates was awarded a contract for more than $11 million to complete enhancements to the Highway 1 Columbia rest area west of Revelstoke.

Work will include expansion of the existing parking area, including dedicated commercial-vehicle parking; installation of full-flush washroom facilities; improvements to lighting; and construction of intersection and access improvements, including approximately two kilometres of resurfacing on Highway 1.

The contractor began work on site on March 16. Following clearing work to expand the site’s footprint, the rest area will close to all vehicles on April 1, and construction will begin. Work is scheduled to be completed in late 2026.

Essential infrastructure

Following a planning study completed in 2022 by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, the Columbia rest area was identified as a priority location for substantial improvements specifically to support B.C.’s trucking industry. The study was undertaken in partnership with the B.C. Trucking Association (BCTA).

“For commercial drivers, safe and accessible rest areas are essential infrastructure, not a luxury,” said Binoy Mascarenhas, director of policy for the BCTA. “When drivers have reliable places to pull over, perform safety checks, take needed breaks and meet regulatory rest requirements, it supports both road safety and the efficient movement of goods across B.C.”

Construction to upgrade the Kamloops brake check and rest area on Highway 1 westbound, another priority identified in the 2022 planning study, is expected to begin this spring.

Work will include increasing capacity at the brake check, upgrades to washroom facilities, including full-flush toilets and lighting, and improvements to traffic flow.