Work on Cecil Lake Road “complete,” a local farmer is unimpressed

CECIL LAKE, B.C. – Work has recently been completed on the Cecil Lake Road, but a local farmer says it’s insufficient.

B.C’s Ministry of Transportation says both lanes on the road have been reestablished, along with a ditch line along the middle segment of Beatton Hill, and the concrete barrier has been realigned.

The ministry says this will take additional weight and stress off the slope’s edge below the road. No more delays are expected as the work is mostly complete.

A local farmer, Fred Lehmann, says he understands that the hill isn’t stable right now, but he hopes they plan to do more.

“I really hope that the plan would be to cut into the hill there. I hope they aren’t done and leave it at that.”

When the hill is stable, he hopes more work is put into the road, noting how tight it is driving around some of the road’s corners.

“I drive a truck with a 45-foot trailer, and right now in that little section, if there’s another truck or another big semi coming, it’s going to be a tight fit,” Lehmann explains.

He says that trailers cut the corner in that area and that, typically, someone has to stop and go one at a time.

“For regular two-lane traffic, it’s acceptable, but I don’t think it’s acceptable as a permanent repair.”

“As a property owner out here that drives through the hill regularly, we’re always a little bit nervous,” he admits.

Lehmann recognizes that there’s probably a minimum width to the lanes, but it would be prudent for them to do more eventually.

“In the past, they had to negotiate with landowners on top of the hill because they had to remove so much that’d encroach on private property.”

“I’m not sure if that’s an issue today or if it’s just the time and funding kind of matter.”

He realizes time and funding are a factor, but stresses, again, that they will eventually have to cut into the hill.

“It has to get pretty pathetic before there’s attention drawn to it,” Lehmann said.

“It’d be very nice if they could take the time and the money to build us a nice road.”