Hwy 1 bridge concerned residents long before fatal B.C. crash

Sukhman Kaur fondly recalls her brother, 25-year-old Raminderjit Singh, as a gentle soul who aspired to build a life of his own. Singh arrived in Canada as an international student in 2019 and began driving trucks to achieve that goal, according to his sister.

Just a few weeks ago, Singh started working for Abbotsford-based Mountain Peak Transport, which described him as a licensed and experienced driver with around two years of experience. However, his dream was tragically cut short on the morning of August 24 when his semi-trailer truck veered off a bridge on Highway 1 and plunged into a lake channel in Sicamous, B.C., roughly halfway to his destination in Calgary.

"He was very innocent, very kind, and he lost his life," Kaur said during an interview with CBC's Daybreak South. "I don't know why."

So far, the RCMP has confirmed that Singh was the sole occupant of the truck and that no other vehicles were involved in the incident.

Plans to replace the aging and narrow bridge have been in development for years, with Sicamous RCMP Sgt. Murray McNeil previously labeling it "a hazard." Local residents have long voiced concerns about the safety of the over 60-year-old Bruhn Bridge.

"When that [crash] happened, I just shook my head," said John Krupa, a former houseboat owner in the Sicamous Channel where Singh's truck landed, who now lives nearby. "This bridge should have been fixed a long time ago," he added. "This is an economic throughway for the Canadian economy … It's embarrassing."

The provincial government is well aware of the safety and economic concerns. The bridge's replacement project has been discussed for years, with local officials frequently pressing the province to expedite the process.

CBC News requested an interview with Transportation Minister Rob Fleming, but the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure stated he was unavailable. Despite sending a list of questions, the ministry did not respond by press time.

'A provincial disgrace'
According to the province, construction for the bridge's replacement is expected to begin this fall, following several delays. In December 2018, the province unveiled the design for the new Bruhn Bridge, which would include more lanes and a multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists. At that time, the $224.5-million project was touted as a way to improve "safety and efficiency," with construction initially slated to start in 2020.

The ministry initially targeted the bridge's completion for 2023, according to its August 2021 service plan report. However, a later report pushed this deadline to 2025. In response, the District of Sicamous expressed concerns to Fleming.

In a letter dated January 17, 2023, Sicamous Mayor Colleen Anderson urged that there be no further delays due to "serious concerns for public safety." She highlighted instances of concrete falling from the bridge, including a 2011 incident where a piece struck a boat, fortunately without causing injury.

Fleming replied two months later, assuring that the ministry expected the project to move to tender later that year. "Safety is the ministry's highest priority, and you can be sure we remain committed to advancing the replacement of the R.W. Bruhn Bridge," he wrote.

Despite these assurances, local officials have continued to express frustration with the project's slow pace. "This is becoming a provincial disgrace. If it's not a national disgrace, it's pretty damn close to it," Councillor Ian Baillie remarked during a committee meeting in November 2023. "What we do know is that people are going to die on that bridge. This is not a joke. It's almost, in my opinion, gross negligence now to keep putting it off."

Mayor Anderson sent another letter dated December 11, 2023, reiterating the district's concerns. She described it as "disheartening" that the project would not be tendered until 2024. Her letter also referenced a report by RCMP Sgt. McNeil, which detailed around 25 incidents related to the bridge between 2016 and 2023. McNeil noted that the bridge's narrowness by modern standards leaves no room to avoid a collision if another vehicle crosses the center line.

"I believe the Bruhn Bridge represents one of the more dangerous sections of Highway 1 between Chase and Golden, and that for the above-noted reasons, its replacement should be a priority," McNeil wrote in December 2023.

MLA blames community benefit agreements
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District announced Thursday afternoon that the bridge's railing has been replaced. However, the project is now expected to be completed by 2027, according to the ministry's latest service plan report. The projected cost has also risen to approximately $255 million, with the federal government contributing about $91 million, and the province covering the remainder.

B.C. United Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo, who also sent a letter last year, attributed the delays largely to the NDP's focus on community benefits agreements. Introduced in 2018, this framework outlines who can work on large provincial projects, their wages, and job training. The province says the framework aims to increase apprenticeship opportunities and hire more women, Indigenous people, and other underrepresented workers.

However, at the time, independent contractors and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation criticized it as a sweetheart deal for unions that would inflate public infrastructure costs.

CBC News asked the ministry to explain the delays but did not receive a response by press time. The province's FAQ about the project mentions that unexpected circumstances in 2020, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and an early provincial election, "made engagement particularly difficult during this time."

Meanwhile, Kaur urges other truck drivers to prioritize safety while on the road. "Put your safety first all the time so that you go back to your families because somebody is waiting for you," she advised.

She noted that her brother's death has been especially hard for their parents, who live in India. "They're finding it very hard to accept the truth," Kaur said. "They're looking for him everywhere, but they can't find him."