SLRD Area A Director – Sal DeMare
Road Bed Material Funding
At the Union of British Columbia Municipalities meetings we meet with the Cascades Forest District Manager and Ministry Staff from Victoria. They said that there was limited budget for FSR road maintenance and that they prioritize roads that the public uses that have communities with the FSR roads being the only access in and out. The Hurley is not one of them, as Road 40 is the main access to the valley year round. They have however committed to getting the traffic counts for the past ten years as they have 3 vehicles counters on the road. They also committed to see if they can find some funding streams for road bed material as it is desperately needed as we all know. Well I found out after the UBCM Meeting they did find another $100,000 from the same Forest Employment Program funding stream that the ditching and brushing work came from. The plan is too use two sets of excavators and graders both starting at the Hope Creek area and each set working from there. One back to the start of the Hurley on the Pemberton side and the other to the Gold Bridge side. They will use existing areas that they have taken road bed material from in the past, other locations and also spread the piles that they created while doing the ditching. Hopefully this will be finished before the snow starts and that it will be in good shape for next year’s opening. Expected start date is after the Thanksgiving long weekend and they will be working 7 days a week until they are complete.
Safety
As usual we want everyone to be safe including the travellers and the equipment operator’s. I had some reports from one of the contractor’s on the ditching and brushing work that they had a number of close calls. You must pay attention, watch out for the equipment, and slow right down when approaching the equipment. Make eye contact with the operators and wait until the operators gives you the ok to go by.
Stay Safe everyone! – Sal Demare
We would like to thank the people responsible for picking up all the garbage that was left by the Semaphore Lakes parking spot on Friday and to the people who left the garbage there, you are not welcome back! Thanks to Scott Frizzell for the latest Hurley update and photo from Saturday 10th October.
Came west across the Hurley at 10am. Good coming out of the BRV. Wet, washboards, pot holes up top. Vehicle off the road around 17km. Passing, hit soft shoulder, lucky they did not flip. Recovery was being initiated. Lots of traffic.
If you choose to drive the Hurley at this time of the year be prepared to experience all kinds of weather and winter driving conditions. Winter driving skills, 4×4, chains and good snow tires are essential for travel. A survival/safety kit are good things to carry in your truck. Conditions can change fast at anytime up there with the fluctuating temperatures & weather. Current conditions may not be reported on this site. Have a safe drive!
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