Advocate requests upgrades for Lang Creek bridge at qathet Regional District meeting

qathet Regional District (qRD) directors have received a request to make an upgrade to the bridge crossing at Lang Creek, south of Powell River.

At the February 17 committee of the whole meeting, regional district resident Mel Waldron appeared before the committee to advocate for changes to be made to the bridge.

“There was a fatality accident there and it wasn’t the first,” said Waldron, referring to a motor vehicle incident that occurred January 24 on the bridge, where the single occupant of a vehicle died.

Waldron said he’d like to see a bridge and walkway across the creek for cyclists and pedestrians.

“It’s a very narrow bridge and there’s no walkways; now [the bridge] is even narrower because of the guardrails that have been put in,” said Waldron. “It’s in a tourist area and school crossing area, and there’s no bicycle path or walkways. I would hope the regional board would build a path for bicycles and pedestrians like they did at Myrtle Creek bridge and try to relieve some of the dangers down there.”

He said there had been a fire in the area and it was chaos down there.

“Anybody riding a bike or walking would take their life in their hands,” added Waldron. “If you could look to see if it’s possible to do something, it would be an asset to the community. It’s been bad for years and it’s getting worse.”

qRD Electoral Area C director Clay Brander said he empathized with Waldron. Brander said his children go to Kelly Creek Community School and his wife is a teacher there.

“They used to walk the kids down to Lang Creek for the salmon but now they bring school buses because it’s so dangerous to cross the bridge,” added Brander. “I would like to mention we have started up, at our instigation, quarterly meetings with the ministry of transportation. I believe we are having a meeting on April 12 and this has been added to the agenda.”

Waldron said he fears a child or a cyclist will be killed at the Lang Creek bridge.

“I know it’s the highways department’s problem but I think the regional board could look at the bridge,” said Waldron. “It would be a great safety thing, and great for the tourists and the fish hatchery.”