TRANSPORTATION ministry officials are now anticipating a re-opening of Hwy16 around noon.
And they've attached a "moderate" confidence level to the expectation of clearing a rock slide which closed the highway west of Terrace shortly after midnight.
The road is closed from Agate Creek Bridge to Terrace.
This is the section of Hwy16 leading toward Prince Rupert alongside the Skeena River, meaning there is no detour available.
An assessment of the slide is going on.
The closure is the latest in a series of road closures in the region so far this winter. The others were either because of avalanche danger or because technicians were triggering avalanches deliberately.