SUNDAY December 1, 1996 Call Today t The best INCOME Investments’ Tbeetten ns West Vancouver office: ¢25-9210 ge TOR Cha TH tat 2 terre ot oe deer Gata re Meentet Cepeda meetton Prev tron Futet woul REE a Sidewalk treacherous for riders By lan Noble News Reporter CYCLIST Donal O’Callaghan finds crossing the Lions Gate Bridge an adventure that has become far too perilous. The avid biker says the ailing span’s sidewalk contains a number of poten tial pitfalls for pwo-wheeled commuters. He said steel ramps thar become stick in the damp, wide gaps. raised plates, the lack of a rail between car traffic and bikers and pedestrians, and a never-ending supply of glass and grit make eveling hazardous. “Ifyou ever ride over that thing in the dark and it’s raining it’s pretty alarming,” he said. “It's not for the weak of heart.” “This is unbelievable,” said O°Callaghan, eve- ing an area that joins the north-side approach ramp and the main bridge deck. “How can they let this happen?” In a short stretch of sidewalk, there's a tour: inch (10 centimetre) gap between cement and metal and another sheet of metal is three inches (7.5 centimetres) above the level of the sarrow sidewalk. It’s an area cyclists are supposed to dismount on, but O'Callaghan said most cyclists don't. Cyclists have to pass through the area slowly because of a sharp, narrow dogleg that has to be negotiated. A passing cvelist. Bowen Island resident Ret Turner, agreed with O'Callaghan that the bridge deck is not safe for cyclists. He’s especially concerned about falling into passing traffic, Turner said many evclists travel both north and BOB Turner calls for a bicycle safe- ty railing on bridge. south over the bridge on the east sidewalk because they don't want the wind to blow them into traf fic, Both Turner and O'Callaghan want a rating placed between the sidewalk and the road. “think the rail is the answer,” said Turner. “As long as you don’t land in the car lane it’s nota fatality.” Ministry of Transportation and Highways spokesman Robyn Butler said a railing has been looked at but it’s not feasible because the traffic lanes are so narrow on the bridge. But work to upgrade the sidewalk hay been done. A $409,000 sidewalk maintenance program undertaken in the spring replaced 66 panels on the bridge. ‘The ministry is also considering resurfacing the panels at the north end of the bridge, she said. Ongoing maintenaney is conducted on the bridge by 4 private contractor, Butler said. According to the ministry the bridge is safe for cyclists, she added. O'Callaghan said buses are the spookiest part of ding over the bridge. The wind from the bus creates a sacrum, which O'Callaghan calls the “terror factor,” To get people out of their cars, sud O'Callaghan they curs he given rea sonable alternatives The Lions Gate Bridge renewal propret was frazen as partot the govern ment’s capital spending fice ze in Tune, -Centre unveils "holiday fashions. fashion 122 MoM BIRT ETNIES Be PP ye 3 eo dStore WEATHER Monday: Perit t rag, Ednsis 7 CL dow 2 ¢ ro pat nt MOE a pa NEWS photos Mike Wekaileld CYCLIST Donal O’Callaghan points to problems bike commuters face on the Lions Gate Bridge. NV men rescue distraught woman from bridge By Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter TWO North Vancouver men have been cred- ited with saving the life of a woman who tried to jump off the Lions Gate Bridge on Thursday. Diver Sawa Sawearwas toivelling towards Vancouver in heavy totic at do pans when he spotted the wontin walking on the west side ofthe bridge Mentors tap into ancient ways of the world According to) West Vancouver Police Const. Rick Catlin, the distraught women suddenly dropped sone items she was holding and started to climb aver the bridge naling. Sawears pasenger dumped out ef the car and grabbed the woman who, within seconds, had already Managed to yer one leg owcr the raring. Saw sai dtepped the carand jumped our Te ran to the side of the badge and with one hand helped hold the swoon down. Sawzar used bis other hand te did 9 7 Ton hus cellar phone. The woman, of no tived address, was taken to Lyons Gate Hospital tor psyehiatrig evaluation, West Van sports council formed get i aa pe Ay