Improvements to Beasley Bluffs forthcoming
By Contributor
The Highway 3A section known as Beasley Bluffs west of Nelson will be getting two kilometres of recessed pavement reflectors, in the hope it prevents people from crossing the yellow line in one of the most curvy, treacherous stretches of road in the West Kootenay.
The project is cost-shared between the Province and ICBC and is one of 12 different highway projects planned throughout the Southern Interior.
Highway rumble strips will be installed on the Highway 6 section from New Denver to Hills in the Slocan Valley, and Highway 3 will see similar work on the sections from Nine Mile Pit to Rock Creek, Paulson Bridge to Sheep Creek Rest Area, Yahk Weigh Scale to Ryan Bridge and east of Elko to the Fernie Ski Hill Road.
Dunwell Landscaping was awarded a $161,000 contract to carry out the work, which is expected to finish in October. The contract will include the installation of centreline and shoulder rumble strips.
Rumble strips have been proven to significantly reduce the number and severity of collisions on highways by warning drivers that they are wandering out of the driving lanes.
Studies have shown an overall 18 per-cent reduction in all crashes resulting in injury on B.C. highways with rumble strips.
Quick facts
- B.C. began applying rumble strips to highways in 2004.
- There are more than 5,100 kilometres of rumble strips on B.C. highways.
- Rumble strips applied on the centre line show a 29 per cent reduction in off-road left and head on collisions on two-lane undivided rural highways in B.C.
- Rumble strips applied on the shoulder show a 22 per cent reduction for off-road right collisions on two- and four-lane rural highways in B.C.
