Editor, The Times:
Recently I spent some time visiting a close friend in the Kamloops hospital who is just recovering from a serious accident. He and his wife were returning to their home south of Clearwater. A gust of wind blew a large cottonwood tree down on the top of their car, on Highway 5, pushing his head into the steering wheel and rupturing a disc in his neck.
His injury required a four-hour operation, a 12 week recovery period, as well as the total loss of his vehicle. This accident was witnessed by a driver following behind who called 911.
https://www.clearwatertimes.com/news/royal-bank-celebrates-50-years/
I have had deep concerns about the many cottonwood danger trees along Highway 5, between Blackpool and Little Fort. On Nov. 2, 2017, I wrote a letter to the Editor of the Clearwater Times regarding the danger to the traveling public in this area. The response from the Highways department at that time was that there were no funds available for their removal.
There are dozens of large rotten cottonwood trees leaning directly towards Highway 5. If a tree of this size was to fall on a school or tour bus the ramifications would be horrendous.
I request, once again, that the Department of Highways, having jurisdiction over this part of Highway 5, respond publicly in the Clearwater Times on how they plan to rectify this extremely hazardous situation.
Bob Mumford,
Clearwater, B.C.
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
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