Rock slides on Hamilton accesses

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It seems like the warmer winter weather is causing problems along the mountain. More rocks keep falling from the escarpment, causing a danger to drivers down below.

“With the weather freeze thaw cycles and the type of rock that we have it’s just causing the rock to get brittle and the rock just breaks off and falls down.” Brian Houghes, City of Hamilton.

A slope study was released this week by engineering consultant Golder and Associates and according to them there are no major problems on the roadways. But they did point out the accesses that have the potentially highest risk of falling rock; Sherman Cut, Queen st Hill, the west leg of the Sherman Access and Wilson street in Ancaster.

The city has an annual budget of $300 000 to spend on rock scaling and other maintenance surrounding the escarpment. Some work began on the Sherman access last year and is expected to happen again this summer. It’s not known when or where the escarpment will either be scaled back or reinforced but one thing you can probably count on is some lane closures over the summer.