Agassiz-Harrison residents are once again raising their voices to advocate for a safer Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge.
Lauren Mitchell of Popkum launched a Change.org petition recently that has gained attention on local social media, calling on the provincial government to widen, replace or twin the Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge as well as to add a dedicated pedestrian walkway and cyclist path.
The Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge was built in 1956, replacing the ferry across the Fraser River. Safety concerns for cyclists and pedestrians, in particular, have been a concern surrounding the bridge.
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Mitchell wrote that the bridge has never been safe to cross on foot or by bike.
“We are lucky to live in such a beautiful area of the province surrounded by nature - we should feel safe if we wish to get outside and commute by bicycle or travel on foot,” Mitchell added. “Considering the Province’s CleanBC, Active Transportation and Healthy Communities initiatives, it is frustrating that these only seem to apply to non-rural areas.”
Motorist safety is no small worry either with a number of serious and fatal crashes recorded throughout the years, the latest being this winter.
While the bridge is slated for improvements and reinforcement construction, widening the bridge is not part of any formal plans for the near future. In an interview last summer, Chilliwack-Kent MLA Kelli Paddon told The Observer that the $36 million allocated for the current retrofit project is “nowhere near” what is needed to expand or twin the bridge.
RELATED: Kent Council advocates for a wider Agassiz-Rosedale Bridge
Last June, The District of Kent Council sent a letter of concern to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Premier John Horgan MLA Paddon, stating that “the current plan does not meet safety concerns for accommodating pedestrians and cyclists, which puts people’s lives at risk.”
A survey conducted by The Observer last June received more than 280 responses, 85 per cent of which called for wider pathways for pedestrians and cyclists. 67 per cent supported two additional traffic lanes in addition to more space for active transportation.
As part of the grassroots campaign, Mitchell is asking for letters of support from local governing bodies, representatives and interest groups. She wishes to collect personal letters of support from the public; her contact information can be found on the Change.org petition, linked on The Observer’s website. The petition also contains a link to an online survey conducted by Mitchell.
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