Update on the Hurley Maintenance Issue, from Squamish Lillooet Regional District, Area A Director, Debbie Demare.
A recent revision of the 2014 agreement regarding responsibility for and maintenance of the Hurley FSR solves concerns raised by property owners regarding access to their properties in the Bridge River Valley as early as possible and with as direct a route as possible from the Lower Mainland and Sea-to-Sky corridor.
Based on the outcomes of a survey of the local residents and road users of the Hurley FSR, Dir. Deb DeMare has requested that up to $15,000/year of the approximately $71,000 annual road maintenance allocation for the Hurley FSR be directed to opening up the Hurley by way of snow clearing. The road maintenance commitment to the Hurley FSR to reflect this request with two caveats. The first being that the road will not be opened up until adequate avalanche assessments have been performed and it has been determined it is safe to do so. The second being that if ministry budget allocations are reduced that the ministry reserves to the right to review and potentially revise the commitment around this snow clearing funding commitment. All other components of the road maintenance agreement have been implemented or remain unchanged.
Several positives for the Bridge River Valley community include the one ministry/one office responsibility for the entire Hurley FSR. The community requested this and hopes that this will result in consistency and most effective use of resources. It will also allow communication regarding the Hurley FSR by the public to be clear and straightforward.
While the overall budget remains the same, this agreement provides for and acknowledges that a spring opening will occur within a specified budget of $15,000. This is a compromise solution and will hopefully provide enough balance to ensure access for property owners and visitors as early as possible while maintaining a consistent minimum level of maintenance. There continue to be longer term concerns by the community for the overall infrastructure of the road (road
Bed, etc) as well as whether an adequate level of maintenance (grading) will ensure acceptable levels for the traveling public. This will be monitored and further advocacy and revenue raising steps may be necessary based on feedback by the community. Hurley Maintenance Documentation