SMITHERS, B.C. - The RCMP lifted an exclusion zone Friday that cut off public access to a forest service road in northern British Columbia at the site of a confrontation this week between Mounties and opponents of a natural gas pipeline.

Police say the public and media can travel on the road in the Wet'suwet'en First Nation territory but the RCMP will be patrolling it to ensure everyone's safety.

Earlier Friday, a convoy of work trucks passed through the police roadblock heading to the Unist'ot'en healing camp to dismantle barriers that had blocked workers from starting construction on the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

On Thursday, hereditary chiefs struck a deal with the RCMP to abide with an interim court injunction by not blocking access to the work site.

In exchange, the chiefs said members of the First Nation would not be arrested and the Unist'ot'en camp would be allowed to remain intact.

Chief Na'Moks said they made the temporary agreement to protect Wet'suwet'en members, some of whom were already traumatized after another checkpoint was dismantled and 14 people were arrested on Monday.