Quote:
Originally Posted by Chrissir
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This couldn’t be a better example of the inept funding for transportation infrastructure in Kelowna and the Okanagan. Even a pedestrian overpass is a bridge too far (but for what it’s worth, with my plan this overpass likely wouldn’t be needed).
I see lots of replies to my post, but it feels as if no one even read the article or examined the diagrams at all.
This is far far far more than building a second bridge and “another” highway.
It’s an all encompassing plan for a proper backbone to the regional highway network.
I will answer the issues brought up one by one:
First, why not build an entirely new freeway bypass on the west side of Okanagan lake?
Answer: That would be a aware of money that would only address one issue, through traffic, and would do little to reduce the scope of Harvey today.
Next, only a small fraction of traffic is through traffic.
Answer: Yes, that’s true, and that is why such a new route would still serve those traveling to and within Kelowna. For example, it would be a far superior option for those coming to downtown from west bank, UBC, the airport, access to and from highway 33, etc…
It is an amazingly “ready to be utalized” brown field corridor for a true highway backbone (Clement extension to UBC).
At the same time, Harvey would no longer need to be a highway / stroad. It could be majority traffic calmed (especially the segment nearest to downtown) and have fully dedicated transit lanes. That’s the big win.
Next: We don’t need a second bridge.
Answer: Yes, yes Kelowna does. It is a rapidly growing region. This would be building for the future and would add redundancy for safety in emergencies.
It would also allow the existing bridge to have the third southbound lane converted to a pedestrian / cycling path.
Then there is the biggest part, this is about more than just downtown Kelowna!!! It’s about properly removing the 97 from becoming one way urban roads cutting apart downtown Westbank.
It’s about giving Peachland a proper lakefront that isn’t dissected by the region’s main fucking highway!
It’s about having a single cohesive highway corridor from Penticton to Vernon, something this region would likely already have if it were located in any other developed nation.
Under the current plans there are interchanges that will be added to the 97 on both sides of downtown Kelowna. So what’s the plan then??? To have it freeway grade from the connector to Wetbank, where it becomes one way local roads for a few blocks, then freeway grade again from there to the bridge, then an at grade stroad through Kelowna to UBC, then freeway grade again to Lake Country??? What kind of plan is that??!??
Also my article didn’t blame the city of Kelowna for the downsize of the Clement extension, that really should be uplifted by the province (but the downgrade is still laughable to a two lane arterial road for only a few blocks… not even to the design standard of the current existing Clement Road…)
Okay, done, please don’t respond to this unless you read it all, and the article, and have your own alternative cohesive plan to share.
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