Quote:
Originally Posted by Metro-One
And the compete deafening silence on here since posting these farcical circumstances tells us everything we need to know. This is why nothing will ever change or move forward in an adequate direction for Kelowna and the area in regards to roads and transportation.
PS, just checked the government page for these projects again for masochistic shits and giggles, and of course no new information, no updates, no sign of any movement. Enjoy!!
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I popped on this board as I was vacationing in Kelowna (usually stick to the transportation related threads).
As an outsider looking in, I can appreciate your frustration. IMO, Hwy 97 should be freewayized between Vernon and Penticton, with realignments away from 32nd St in Vernon and Harvey Ave in Kelowna. A single crossing maybe could have worked if it was free flowing at both ends, but that’s not possible so an alternative ROW needs to be established.
I also look at the geography of Kelowna area and Fort McMurray, both of which are oriented along a north-south highway and a single water crossing that creates a choke point. Saying this with the utmost sensitivity, both cities have also experienced wildfire events. After Fort McMurray, the provincial government has explored alternative routes to better evacuate the community after the entire city was forced onto Hwy 63. The same considerations should be taken into account for Kelowna should a larger scale event occur. For a region that's approaching 500K, alternative routes should exist even for smaller scale events, such as the the slide that closed Hwy 97 near Summerland. Westside Rd from West Kelowna to Vernon, an alternate route from Kelowna to Penticton via Naramata, and maybe others, should be explored into being upgraded into proper two lane highways. Obviously there aren't enough lanes to make a large-scale evacuation possible without gridlock, but something from a public safety perspective might be more of a selling feature than the perspective of simply catering to cars and pretending it's still a quaint valley of half the current population/demand.
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