I have a friend who has been known to yell out “Safety first!” in most any situation, largely and usually for comedic effect (often when he's doing something most might consider unsafe).  Really, though, it is an important mindset to genuinely hold for the greater good.  With that in mind, I wanted to take a moment to highlight and commend the City of Vancouver for its recently announced efforts which are now underway to make the Columbia River Renaissance Trial safer. 

The City says that uneven concrete panels on the trail will be removed and replaced.  Further, roots will be removed from under the panels and root barriers will be put in place to limit future damage to the trail.

This will require temporary closures of sections of the trail, but detours through the grass adjacent to the paved trail will be available.  It is estimated the work will be complete by the end of January.  

From the City: “Visitors to the Columbia River Renaissance Trail should use caution around construction equipment and follow all posted detour and safety instructions when traveling through the impacted areas.”

Our office sees slips, trips, and falls in many contexts with such varying outcomes that it is nice to see proactive efforts to avoid additional injuries in this context.  While tripping on an uneven concrete surface may not necessarily even phase a 20-year-old, it could be the fall which leads to the death of a frail senior citizen.  Thus, here's a tip o' the cap to the City for its foresight.

If you or a loved one has suffered injury as a result of a slip, trip, or fall and you feel it may have been caused by another person or entity's negligence—please give our office a call and chat to one of our attorneys about your rights under the circumstances.

[Source: https://www.cityofvancouver.us/parksrec/page/columbia-river-renaissance-trail-maintenance-starts-dec-26]