Geotechnical work underway to assess gravel portion of Mamquam Road

Area closed due to significant safety risk

The gravel portion of Mamquam Road (east of Paco Road below Quest University) remains closed due to fractures along a 400-metre section of the road as a result of last week’s atmospheric river event. A substantial landslide near the bottom of the road has blocked access. District of Squamish engineering staff have retained a local geotechnical engineer to review the cause of the failure and assess slope stability and potential remediation options. Barricades and prohibitive Do Not Enter signs have been installed to restrict public access, including by foot or bike.

“The public must stay off the road or out of any of the areas below the road while the geotechnical assessment is underway, as any slope failure poses an extreme risk to public safety,” says District of Squamish Director of Engineering Chris Wyckham. “We are closely monitoring the situation and will determine the appropriate next steps based on the geotechnical assessment.”

Tension cracks first appeared on the gravel portion of Mamquam Road, also known as the Mamquam-Ring Creek Road, on November 16 as a result of heavy rainfall.

The District will continue to provide further updates and next steps as work progresses.

November 23, 2021