It’s a bridge too far gone.
The District of West Vancouver is decommissioning one trail bridge in the Upper Lands and warning that no more than two people at a time should attempt crossing another.
District crews had closed several trails above Millstream Road in the British Properties recently to carry out wildfire protection work. After being assessed by engineers, the district has permanently closed the 14-metre-long Baden Powell/Trans Canada Trail footbridge over Brothers Creek.
“It’s over 30 years old. It’s wooden, and it’s just rotting and falling apart,” said Carrie Gadsby, West Vancouver spokesperson. “It’s not safe for people to pass.”
Further north, on the Crossover Trail, the bridge spanning the Brothers Creek is also showing signs of age and comes with a specific warning about the amount of weight it can bear.
“It’s not in disrepair to the same extent that south bridge is but it has been restricted to only two people crossing at a time,” Gadsby said, “If there’s snow, it’s not to be crossed at all.”
Signs posted nearby direct hikers to detour routes.
There is no timeline for how long the closures will last as staff need to seek cost estimates for replacing the bridges, which will then be submitted to council for future budget considerations, Gadsby said.
