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How many more deaths on the Emory Creek bridge; how many more crosses?

I have been prompted to write this letter after the latest carnage at the bridge over Emory Creek. As you are aware there have been two fatalities, injuries to innocent drivers and considerable damage to vehicles.

Editor: The Standard

Re: The bridge at Emory Creek

I have been prompted to write this letter after the latest carnage at the bridge over Emory Creek. As you are aware there have been two fatalities, injuries to innocent drivers and considerable damage to vehicles. These accidents can only have happened because of trucks driving too fast in appalling conditions.

The bridge is sited over the creek with downhill gradients on both the north and south sides. The road narrows rapidly from two carriage ways to one and the sight lines are not good particularly from the south. The entrance to Emory Creek Road is another complicating factor making this stretch of highway even more dangerous. The highway signs provide no adequate warnings of the dangers to come. The truckers drive too fast.

I have property on Emory Creek Road and turned onto the highway towards Hope just before the accident on February 27. The road conditions were treacherous; the road had not been recently plowed, gritted or salted and still the trucks traveled too fast for the conditions.

With reference to the fatal accident of February 21 the truck going south would have wiped out any vehicle waiting to turn out of Emory Creek Road onto the highway.

I am sick and tired of being overtaken by trucks going well over the speed limit on the Canyon highway. This makes turning into Emory Creek Road, particularly approaching from the south and in the dark, very dangerous. Trucks approaching from the rear close in very quickly on a turning vehicle, showing no inclination to slow down. It is especially dangerous if the left turning vehicle has to give way to oncoming traffic. Time and time again I have witnessed police stopping cars on the Canyon but speeding trucks seem to be immune to police action. Why is this? Do police not stop speeding trucks? Can speeds not be monitored over the bridge? Cannot road signage and markings be improved and most importantly can there not be a turning lane and road widening for Emory Creek Road junction?

And still the truckers drive too fast. How many more deaths, how many more grieving families and how many more crosses?

Dr. Ian Lanfear