Province Announces Improvements to Some Forest Service Roads

PROVINCE INVESTS $390,000 TO IMPROVE HARRISON EAST ROAD

VICTORIA - The Province is investing $390,000 this year to upgrade the Harrison East Forest Service Road to provide safer access for all recreational and industrial users, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell announced today.

"We are committed to improving safety on our forest service roads and are responding to the Auditor General's report on forest worker safety," said Bell. "A road-user safety committee is also being established in the Chilliwack district to develop and promote standards for safety on forest service roads."

This Forest Service Road improvement project will include the construction of two permanent bridges, sight-line improvements in areas of high recreation traffic and standardized information signs, all of which are considered key for safer roads.

The Harrison East Forest Service Road starts six kilometres north of Harrison Hot Springs, providing access to a popular recreation area that boasts continuing development of lakefront and creek-side camping sites, natural hot springs, private cabins and a scenic back-road route to Boston Bar.

The improvements will provide greater opportunities for the development and management of integrated resources including access to forest tenures and industrial mineral operations. The project will be completed by Spring 2009. Temporary road closures will be in effect from time to time. Information about the status of the road is available online at [www.for.gov.bc.ca/dck/].

$120,000 INVESTED TO IMPROVE ROAD NEAR MACKENZIE

VICTORIA - The Province is investing $120,000 this fall for the installation of two bridges on the Finlay Forest Service road to replace bridges washed out last year, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell announced today.

"The safety of the Finlay Forest Service road is important - especially since it's the only road that provides access to Kwadacha and Tsay Keh," said Bell. "This is a high-priority project and I decided to allocate additional funding this year to put the permanent bridge in place."

The project forms a vital link to the Interior since the road has one of the highest levels of usage in the province during normal forestry operations. It is also a gateway to the Muskwa-Kechika Park for outdoor enthusiasts and a route to access mining operations and exploration areas.

Temporary crossings currently in place will be replaced with permanent bridges. The Finlay Forest Service Road provides access to large area north of the community of Mackenzie including the communities of Kwadacha and Tsay Keh, which have a combined total population of over 600 residents. Both First Nations support the project. The road is also used as a back-up to access Germansen Landing and Manson Creek in the event of fire.

Work will start this fall and the bridges will be replaced by mid-December. There will be no interruptions to road access because the temporary structures are designed to accommodate traffic during construction of the permanent bridges.