A long-awaited traffic change to what's been described as an "awkward" Penticton intersection has finally seen the light of day.
Kinney Avenue, between Skaha Lake Road and South Main Street, is now permanently closed to vehicle traffic, as part of the city's $10.5 million Point Intersection project.
Sandwiched in between a Salvation Army and Co-op gas station, the 40-metre stretch of road has been transformed into green space for pedestrians and cyclists. It also now connects cyclists to the city's controversial lake-to-lake bike lane.
The road has been closed to vehicles for several weeks, however, it recently opened for its other intended users.
Shane Mills, the city's senior communications advisor, says construction is not officially complete, but people and bikes are welcome to use the paths.
Reworking in the area marks a major milestone for crews assigned to the Point Intersection project, which was approved by city council in the spring of 2023.
The city's current efforts to rework the 40-metre stretch date back to July 2022. In a presentation to council 鈥� then led by mayor John Vassilaki 鈥� staff described the South Main and Kinney intersection as an "awkward" bottleneck.
Current Julius Bloomfield has also previously called the intersection "dysfunctional."
Closed to vehicle traffic, the road serves as a connector for the city's lake-to-lake bike lane from South Main to Kinney. The latter of which has seen its own bike-lane-related construction over the last few months, in front of Cherry Lane Shopping Centre.
General construction in the area has shifted along South Main Street, where crews are installing the final section of the 6.7-kilometre bike route.
City officials said this week that construction won't limit access to bus stops and the nearby Seniors' Drop-In Centre, one of four venues in the Penticton-Summerland riding to have polling stations ahead of the 2024 provincial election. Advance voting runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., from Oct. 10 to 13, and then on Oct. 15 and 16.
The Point Intersection project 鈥� a group of infrastructure improvements on the south end of Penticton 鈥� came in $3 million over budget.
Other notable changes in the area, as a result of the project, include a new roundabout at Pineview Road and South Main Street.
