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VICTORIA – Residents of the Sunshine Coast will benefit from $300,000 to improve travel and safety conditions on the Duck Lake Forest Service road, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell and Community Development Minister Kevin Krueger announced today.
“The Duck Lake Forest Service road
has several branches that access many residences and a number of highly popular recreational sites
and trails,” said Bell. “The work will provide a structurally sound road to help
ensure safe residential and recreational access, and protect water quality.”
Duck Lake Forest Service road and its
associated branches are located southeast of Powell River. Work includes resurfacing and road and drainage
improvements on approximately eight kilometres of road. Resurfacing, blasting and
crushing are currently underway through contracts with local
firms. Much of the road is within the Haslam Lang Community Watershed which is
the major water source for Powell River. Improvements will also ensure water
supply safety.
“Improvements to the
Duck Lake Forest Service road will give residents better access to health-care
services, strengthen connections between communities and allow for a wider
range of economic opportunities,” said Krueger. “In addition, they will allow
more visitors seeking adventure around Duck Lake to experience the beauty of
this region.”
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 over two years to improve travel conditions on Forest Service roads that serve as crucial transportation links for rural communities and recreation sites.
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 the expanded use of radar guns, and the expansion of the Vehicle Identification Plates Program.
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Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Forests and Range 250 387-4592 |
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