MoFR: $328,000 TO IMPROVE FRASER VALLEY WEST FOREST ROADS
$328,000 TO IMPROVE FRASER VALLEY WEST FOREST ROADS
VICTORIA – Fraser Valley residents will benefit from $328,000 to improve travel and safety conditions on the Norrish Creek, Sumas Mountain, Chehalis River and Lost Creek Mountain Forest Service roads, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell, Community Development Minister Kevin Krueger and Maple Ridge-Mission MLA Randy Hawes announced today.
“In many areas, Forest Service roads provide essential connections for rural residents and access to recreation sites,” said Bell. “Keeping these roads safe and open is important to the quality of life for residents of Mission and visitors alike.”
The Norrish Creek Forest Service road is 15 kilometres east of Mission and provides recreational and other access within the Norrish Creek Community Watershed. The Sumas Mountain Forest Service road provides access to trails and recreation sites at Sumas Mountain regional park, as well as a mountain bike trail network managed by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts. Work on these roads includes steep slope stabilization, ditching, road surface repairs, grading, brushing, and safety signage.
“These improvements are so important for people who have to use these roads,” said Randy Hawes, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission. “We are giving these people an extra sense of security and hopefully we can encourage other people to get out and visit the recreational sites that these roads service.”
The Chehalis River Forest Service road near Harrison Mills provides access to recreation sites at Chehalis Lake, private residences, the Kwìkwèxwelhp Healing Village and a variety of recreational opportunities for the public. Work on this road includes ditching, culvert maintenance, brushing, and road safety signage.
“Communities in this region have told this government they value the economic and social opportunities that come from having a stronger road network. We listened and we are taking action to strengthen the connection between isolated communities and city centres,” said Krueger. “Whether it’s accessing health care, exploring new mineral opportunities or opening new regions to tourism, the benefits of this investment will strengthen the region as a whole.”
The Lost Creek Forest Service road, two kilometres east of Mission, provides access to 30 properties licensed to the Stave Lake Leaseholders Association and to Davis Lake Provincial Park. The road also provides access to a popular recreation area including sites at Salsbury Lake and Kenyon Lake which are co-managed by Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts and the Four Wheel Drive Association of British Columbia. Improvements to the Lost Creek road include traffic delineation to protect sensitive forest land, road surface repairs, brushing, and safety signage.
“B.C.’s recreation sites and trails are not only enjoyed by the local communities, they’re also an important part of our diverse tourism offerings,” said Bill Bennett, Minister of Tourism Culture and the Arts. “By improving forest service roads, we’re ensuring that these sites and trails can be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike for years to come.”
British Columbia’s 55,000-kilometre network of Forest Service roads is bigger than the provincial highway system. As first announced by Premier Gordon Campbell at the 2008 Union of B.C. Municipalities convention, the Ministry of Forests and Range is providing $20 million to improve travel conditions on Forest Service roads that serve as crucial transportation links to rural communities and recreation sites. The Province of B.C. and the Government of Canada committed on April 7, 2009 to a further $20 million in shared funding for additional Forest Service road upgrades that will be announced in the coming months.
New road maintenance funding is the latest in a series of initiatives to improve safety on Forest Service roads, which include the establishment of radio protocols, speed enforcement through expanded use of radar guns, and the expansion of the Vehicle Identification Plates Program.
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Reference #: 2009FORZ0082-000912
Date released: Apr 10, 2009
Region: Coast Forest Region
Category: General
Contact(s):
Jennifer McLarty
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests and Range
250 387-4592
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