Both motor vehicle accidents on the RW Bruhn Bridge on Oct. 27 damaged the bridge’s guardrail.
Even when temporary repairs are complete, the sidewalk alongside the bridge will be closed to wheelchairs and scooters until repairs are fully completed.
According to the District of Sicamous, a temporary barrier between the roadway and the sidewalk will be installed as will temporary railings to cover the areas damaged by the vehicle crashes. The barrier will be made up of concrete blocks like the ones installed when a semi truck crashed into one of the railings in November 2018. According to the district, the barrier will restrict movement along the sidewalk, limiting crossing of the bridge for wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
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Full repairs of the bridge will have to wait until custom manufactured sections can be procured. The District of Sicamous estimated repairs would not likely be completed until spring 2021. When the bridge was damaged in November 2018, repairs were not complete until March of the following year.
The bridge is slated for a full replacement. The most recent estimate from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure suggests construction of the project will begin in 2021.
According to district staff, routine bridge deck patching is expected to disrupt traffic within the next two or three weeks. They urged caution in the area for motorists while workers are patching the bridge deck.
jim.elliot@saobserver.net
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