It鈥檚 been 10 years in the making, and it鈥檚 going to take at least two more.

A planning study which will look at the Glenmore Road/Beaver Lake Road intersection along Highway 97 is expected to take two years, according to the Ministry of Transportation. The highway falls under the ministry鈥檚 jurisdiction.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been studied for the last five or six years, we鈥檝e been trying to get it happening, the province and Ministry of Transportation are really slow on getting that intersection fixed,鈥� said Mayor James Baker.

鈥淲e had another big accident on it (Jan. 4) that made a parking lot out of the highway and it鈥檚 crazy. It鈥檚 a failed intersection and they know it鈥檚 a failed intersection and they鈥檙e not doing a short-term fix.鈥�

He said the council is advocating for a short-term fix in the meantime until a corridor study is completed, but he said the ministry response has been short-term fixes are 鈥渢hrowaway improvements鈥� if a long-term fix for the intersection is put in place.

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鈥淏ut we don鈥檛 seem to be getting a long-term fix. If they鈥檇 have done a short-term fix 10 years ago it would have made the intersection a whole lot better,鈥� Baker said.

Until the intersection is fixed, the district will continue to develop roads in its jurisdiction as development continues in that area, Baker said. The district is reliant on Development Cost Charges for road development outlined in its Transportation for Tomorrow plan.

The Glenmore/Beaver Lake/Highway 97 has had the highest number of crashes in the district in 2018, according to ICBC, with 129.

A Chase Road extension, which would connect Chase Road to Okanagan Centre Road West, is currently on the table to alleviate traffic woes on Glenmore Road as part of a rezoning application to change agricultural to industrial land along Dick Road.

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carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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