River Road Businesses Make Request to City

Thursday, March 20, 2008 04:00 AM

Prince George, B.C. - Businesses along River Road are asking City Hall for a second opinion about the River Road "berm".

(at right, steep ramps and drainage issues plague River Road businesses)

John Elmslie, the President and Chief Operating Officer of Winton Global says the group he represents (which includes Brink Forest Products, Cougar Crane, Esso, Interior Warehousing, Klein and Son, Lakeland Mills and TDB Consultants) is requesting the City instruct North West Hydraulics to give their expert opinion as to whether a berm along the Nechako River would be sufficient to prevent flooding. The placing of a berm along the river bank would allow for the removal of the berm which now is River Road.

The group met with City officials yesterday in an effort to find out what is happening along River Rd. Members of the group say the raised River Road as it now sits, is a hazard to truckers and business that are using that stretch of road

"We asked if the first part of the consultants report could deal with the matter of making that berm along the river permanent so that the River Rd berm can be removed. " says Elmslie.

He says the raising of the road has been harmful to business "As it now sits, businesses such as Esso have not be able to do any business. Esso hasn't indicated whether in fact if they are forced to leave the area because River Rd has been built up so much, if they will rebuild at all . "

Elmslie adds "Access is a very serious problem for every one of these businesses and we need to know when the City intends to take down the River Road berm. "

Elmslie says he was surprised to hear at Monday's Council meeting that the City says it has been told by the Province not to remove the River Road berm until after the spring freshet as a flood protection measure "It was my understanding the City was in charge of the flood control and I was surprised to hear about this."

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Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2008 04:00 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: giterdun on March 20 2008 7:57 AM

River Road Businesses on River Road... Good luck dealing with the bureaucratic wanabee road builders at city hall. As a taxpayer I am sick of the incompetance displayed by the city. We need a new broom and a total housecleaning.

Posted by: owl on March 20 2008 8:56 AM

I am not sure why the surprise about the proposed longevity of the road. The city made it quite clear at the Tuesday public meetings in January that they would be keeping the elevated road in place until at least next year since they will need to have the results of a study of how to handle potential future floods in place first so that they can begin implementing the recommendations.

At least, that is what I heard. Maybe others on here were there as well and can provide their understanding from those public sessions.

Posted by: thereasonableman on March 20 2008 9:30 AM

It would make sense to leave it until after the spring thaw. After that, I'm sure everyone there would like to see it moved to the river bank. A dyking system similar to Pitt Meadows/Pitt Polder with walking/bicycling trail on top is the popular notion.

Posted by: owl on March 20 2008 10:53 AM

That should be very popular.

But popular might be a red flag at city hall, so it is best kept hidden and brought forward as an unpopular approach if you wish success.

;-)

Posted by: Palopu on March 20 2008 3:52 PM

The water crosses under river road and perculates up into the Pas Lumber, CN Rail yard etc, so this berm wont supply as much protection as one might think if the river backs up.

We will have to wait and see the end result. We should know within the next two months or so when high water comes.

Posted by: Runner46 on March 20 2008 11:21 PM

Having lived in Port Coquitlam at or near sea level for a decade I watched with dismay many homes in our nice neighbourhood flood from the basement drain upwards. Water will find a way no matter how wide/high the dykes. If percolation is the problem it has been around for a few centuries and the only thing that will rectify the problem for that part of our community is to move if they want a 100% guarantee.

Why do you think the land down there gets the brunt of the rivers ebb and flow. It is near the river bank, it used to be the river a few hundred years ago.......