Lift bridge safety plan
Burlington city staff supports spending $120,000 to build walkway under span
By John Burman
The Hamilton Spectator
BURLINGTON (May 10, 2005)
Dennis Heming was shocked at how fast trucks travelled along Eastport Drive when he went to see where his cousin died two years ago.
"I couldn't believe it, how dangerous it was for anyone trying to cross from the trail (through Beachway Park) to the sidewalk on the lift bridge," he said yesterday.
Richard Heming, 58, of Burlington, died Aug. 27, 2003, when he tried to walk his bike across Eastport. A truck hit him on the Burlington side as he crossed from east to west.
The only sidewalk is on the west side of the bridge. It's the only way of crossing the span and connecting with the Lake Ontario trail on the Hamilton side.
Now Burlington parks and recreation staff are recommending the city spend $120,000 to build a walkway under its side of the bridge and back up to the sidewalk on the west side of Eastport Drive.
If the plan is approved by the city's community and corporate services committee tonight and city council May 24, the trail extension could be in place this summer.
"That would be good," said Dennis. "My wife and I took our bikes down there a while after Richard died and the trucks were rolling through there so fast it was dangerous for anyone to cross."
Richard Heming, a retired construction worker, became an avid recreational cyclist after suffering a heart attack. He was walking his bike across Eastport Drive at about 4:45 p.m. when he was struck and killed by a northbound transport truck which had just crossed the lift bridge. There were no charges.
Burlington staff believe the connection under the bridge provides the most timely and cost effective way to safely get people from one side of Eastport Drive to the other.
The preferred solution would be another sidewalk added to the east side of the lift bridge. But that would involve rebalancing the lift bridge and spending about $1 million. Finding funding for that might be difficult because the federal government wants to divest itself of the structure.
Pedestrian activated signals on Eastport just north of the bridge were also considered, but there were concerns about the volume of traffic affected as the road is the only alternative route should the Queen Elizabeth Way be shut down or restricted.
In his report, parks manager Rob Peachey notes the connection under the bridge is not as direct as other options and there is concern users may continue to cross Eastport. However, the link can be done quickly and within budget.
For its part, Hamilton has been looking at installing a tunnel under Beach Boulevard from the east side of the road to the west to eliminate the need for pedestrians and cyclists crossing the road there.
jburman@thespec.com
905-526-2469
Burlington city staff supports spending $120,000 to build walkway under span
By John Burman
The Hamilton Spectator
BURLINGTON (May 10, 2005)
Dennis Heming was shocked at how fast trucks travelled along Eastport Drive when he went to see where his cousin died two years ago.
"I couldn't believe it, how dangerous it was for anyone trying to cross from the trail (through Beachway Park) to the sidewalk on the lift bridge," he said yesterday.
Richard Heming, 58, of Burlington, died Aug. 27, 2003, when he tried to walk his bike across Eastport. A truck hit him on the Burlington side as he crossed from east to west.
The only sidewalk is on the west side of the bridge. It's the only way of crossing the span and connecting with the Lake Ontario trail on the Hamilton side.
Now Burlington parks and recreation staff are recommending the city spend $120,000 to build a walkway under its side of the bridge and back up to the sidewalk on the west side of Eastport Drive.
If the plan is approved by the city's community and corporate services committee tonight and city council May 24, the trail extension could be in place this summer.
"That would be good," said Dennis. "My wife and I took our bikes down there a while after Richard died and the trucks were rolling through there so fast it was dangerous for anyone to cross."
Richard Heming, a retired construction worker, became an avid recreational cyclist after suffering a heart attack. He was walking his bike across Eastport Drive at about 4:45 p.m. when he was struck and killed by a northbound transport truck which had just crossed the lift bridge. There were no charges.
Burlington staff believe the connection under the bridge provides the most timely and cost effective way to safely get people from one side of Eastport Drive to the other.
The preferred solution would be another sidewalk added to the east side of the lift bridge. But that would involve rebalancing the lift bridge and spending about $1 million. Finding funding for that might be difficult because the federal government wants to divest itself of the structure.
Pedestrian activated signals on Eastport just north of the bridge were also considered, but there were concerns about the volume of traffic affected as the road is the only alternative route should the Queen Elizabeth Way be shut down or restricted.
In his report, parks manager Rob Peachey notes the connection under the bridge is not as direct as other options and there is concern users may continue to cross Eastport. However, the link can be done quickly and within budget.
For its part, Hamilton has been looking at installing a tunnel under Beach Boulevard from the east side of the road to the west to eliminate the need for pedestrians and cyclists crossing the road there.
jburman@thespec.com
905-526-2469