Norm Macdonald MLA                                Columbia River – Revelstoke

MEDIA RELEASE

For immediate release

January 17th, 2008

Replacement of Dutch Creek Bridge should be part of larger highway upgrade

MLA for Columbia River – Revelstoke Norm Macdonald is joining with local residents in their call for the replacement and realignment of the Dutch Creek Bridge.  Macdonald has been asking for a comprehensive upgrade strategy for Highway 93/95 between Radium and Canal Flats which includes the Dutch Creek Bridge section.

“The Highway 93/95 corridor has seen a tremendous increase in development and tourism but the highway infrastructure has not significantly improved to facilitate that increase,” said Macdonald.  “Constituents tell me that they often do not feel safe traveling this stretch of highway.”

Intersections without turning lanes, changes to speedzones, poor sightlines due to a lack of roadside mowing, and a lack of bicycle lanes are just some of the complaints about this stretch of highway received by Macdonald’s office.

Macdonald sees the Dutch Creek Bridge as an opportunity to begin the larger work that needs to be done to bring this section of highway up to standard.

“The community has suggested an excellent plan to develop a tourist stop at the old bridge site, and I think that this is the kind of problem-solving that we need to employ.  Rather than choosing a band-aid for the existing bridge, the Ministry of Transportation should make the Dutch Creek Bridge replacement a beginning phase of a much larger and much needed highway upgrade.”