Metro Vancouver, BNSF Railway and the city will be coordinating the removal and closure of two unsanctioned trails and structures at the Delta Nature Reserve next to Burns Bog due to significant public safety risks.
Council recently endorsed the recommendation to close the trails and remove unsanctioned structures, including make-shift wooden bridges and a boardwalk, due to their deteriorating condition.
A staff report notes that over the past three decades, volunteers constructed the wooden structures, including a boardwalk and a footbridge, providing access to two crossings over the BNSF Railway line and Cougar Creek, between the North Delta Greenway at the nature reserve.
The structures were not approved by BNSF, nor does Metro Vancouver or the City of Delta permit them.
Signage along the trails posted by BNSF, Metro Vancouver and the city, emphasizes that it is unlawful to cross the tracks, and users of the trails are trespassing on private property, the report notes.
As the bridge and boardwalk provide access to private BNSF lands, Metro Vancouver is not in a position to repair the deteriorating structures, and instead approached the city to confirm support for their removal.
“Staff from Metro Vancouver and the city coordinated a review with BNSF, who have long struggled with preventing trespass over the rail line, and reported often encounters with distracted users and off-leash dogs through their patrols and via radio reports from passing trains. BNSF is supportive of removal of these boardwalks to mitigate the significant hazard posed through easy access to the rail line…,”the report explains.
Metro Vancouver will be responsible for removal of roughly 20 metres of boardwalk and one bridge in the nature reserve, while BNSF will be responsible for removal of the structures on their property, including roughly 52 metres of boardwalk at the central crossing and a bridge over Cougar Creek at the crossing near 72 Avenue.
The city will be responsible for decommissioning the pathways which provide access to the unsanctioned crossings from the greenway. Closure of those trails will include removal of a set of wood and earth stairs and installation of fencing to prevent access.
The work will be coordinated with Metro Vancouver to ensure public communication is clear and consistent, the report adds.
