Chamber pushes for second crossing of lake

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is pressing the province on the need for a second crossing of Okanagan Lake or a bypass route around the city.

The chamber is concerned the region is expected to add 60,000 people by 2040, yet no major infrastructure projects are on the books.

“We appreciate that our local MLAs have been fighting hard to draw attention to this need, but despite that effort, aside from highway maintenance, it appears we are all but being ignored when it comes to major provincial investment in transportation infrastructure,” Dan Price, chamber chair, said in a letter to Transportation Minister Rob Fleming.

“Previous ministry planning efforts did focus on the need for overpasses instead of controlled intersections and of course the much sought after and publicly talked about – second crossing – but all that appears to be in the distant past.”

Price said it appears major infrastructure improvements on the highway through the region have been shelved by the B.C. government.

“Instead, what we are left with is a promise to consult on small plans to tweak intersections rather than a broad vision that addresses the needs of this fast-growing region.”

Price said investing in major upgrades would not only fuel the local economy by allowing heavy truck traffic to move more efficiently along the corridor, but it would also address the significant safety concerns.

“We already know from ICBC statistics that Kelowna is home to eight of the “Top Ten Crash” intersections in the Southern Interior – seven of them on the provincially-controlled Hwy. 97/Harvey Avenue within city limits. Kelowna RCMP advise the fatal crashes at Harvey intersections in 2022 total 17, an alarming rise in a five-year period,” Price added.