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Environment and
Conservation
February 19,
2008
Update Provided on
T�Railway Park Structures � 78 Structures Re-Opened
The Honourable
Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation, provided an
update today on the engineering inspections of the structures along the
T�Railway Provincial Park, noting that 78 of the structures are now
re-opened. These inspections are on-going as the result of a report
received from Transport Canada last week.
The engineering
assessments of 82 bridges and trestles have been completed, and the
following has been determined:
Avalon Peninsula
(19 structures)
All 19
structures have been inspected, determined safe, and are re-opened to
the public.
Arnolds
Cove � Gambo (17 structures)
Fifteen
of the 17 structures have been inspected. All 15 have been determined
safe and are re-opened to the public. Two structures, North West Brook
and Seawards Brook, are being inspected today. An update will be
provided upon completion of the engineering assessment.
Gambo � Skull Hill
Brook west of Badger (19 structures)
All 19
structures have been inspected, determined safe and are re-opened to the
public. Eel Brook was one of the 14 structures identified by Transport
Canada; however, engineers have determined it safe and it is re-opened
to the public.
Gaff Topsails (8
structures)
All eight
structures are being inspected today from west of Skull Hill Brook to
and including Gaff Topsail Brook. An update will be provided upon
completion of the engineering assessment.
Deer
Lake east to Gaff Topsails (13 structures)
All 13
structures have been inspected. Eleven have been determined safe and
are re-opened to the public. Howley River and Mary Anne Brook were two
of the 14 structures identified by Transport Canada. Engineers have
determined they are to remain closed.
Deer
Lake west to Stephenville (16 structures)
All 16
structures have been inspected. Fourteen have been determined safe and
are re-opened to the public. Robaires Brook was one of the 14 structures
identified by Transport Canada and engineers have determined it is to
remain closed. In addition, engineers have determined that the trestle
at Black Duck Brook will remain closed.
The trestles at
Stephenville Main East and Main Brook were two of the structures
identified by Transport Canada; however, engineers have determined them
safe and they are re-opened to the public.
Stephenville to Port
aux Basques (33 structures)
All 33
structures will be inspected over the coming days. Eleven of these were
identified in the Transport Canada report.
In summary, with the
exception of the following, structures are re-opened to the public
effective immediately
Those yet to be
inspected, including
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All structures
between west of Skull Hill Brook to and including Gaff Topsails
Brook;
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Seaward�s Brook
and West Brook in the Arnolds Cove area; and
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The entire
section from Stephenville to Port aux Basques.
Those that have not
passed inspection by engineers including
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Howley River;
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Mary Anne Brook;
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Black Duck
Brook; and
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Robaires Brook
�We recognize that
the closure of these structures has inconvenienced the many users of the
T�Railway Park,� said Minister Johnson. �We felt that we had no other
choice but to close all structures until we completed our own
engineering assessment, due to the concerns raised in the Transport
Canada report. Safety is our number one priority.
�I want to thank the
engineers/technicians, conservation officers, and parks personnel for
their tremendous effort.�
A further update
will be provided to the public as the remaining T�Railway structures are
examined.
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Media contact:
Melony O�Neill
Director of Communications (Acting)
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 689-0928
moneill@gov.nl.ca
2008 02
19 5:50 p.m.
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