A second bridge over Okanagan Lake and a freeway alternative along 琉璃神社鈥檚 north end are unlikely according to city planners and unnecessary according to some city councillors.
City staff described the project as 鈥減rohibitively expensive,鈥� after an over-$300 million jump in price since initial plans in 2007. The project would now likely cost 鈥渨ell in excess鈥� of $1 billion.
鈥淚n terms of cost-benefit analysis; it鈥檚 proven to be difficult,鈥� said Rafael Villarreal, the city鈥檚 integrated transportation department manager, while presenting a report to council on Monday.
鈥淭o make sense, it has to be a full freeway or it鈥檚 not of enough benefit. It鈥檚 difficult to say the concept is dead, but the reality is, we don鈥檛 know when it鈥檚 going to happen. I鈥檓 not even sure if it鈥檚 within 20 or 25 years.鈥�
READ MORE: Minster says Highway 97 study is on hold
READ MORE: Second bridge across Okanagan Lake 鈥榰nlikely鈥� because of $1 billion price tag
The historic vision of the Highway 33 extension plan was coined as a Highway 97 alternative, connecting UBCO on the east end of the city to a second bridge over the lake to West 琉璃神社 by a highspeed freeway, but that plan now looks doubtful due to inflated costs.
Instead, an incremental approach is being sought by city staff.
The revised plans indicate it may be more realistic to build an arterial roadway connecting Clement Avenue to McCurdy Road instead of the high-speed freeway with interchanges that was initially envisioned in the first plan. Clement Avenue currently ends at Spall Road.
The proposed road would run parallel to the Rail Trail, which was recently completed by the city. If the plan moves forward the city would have to relocate its bus facility.
The scope of work includes a four-lane connection between Spall Road and Highway 33, with at-grade intersections at Spall, Dilworth, and Enterprise. The most recent cost estimate for theis work is $57 million.
Councillors largely dismissed the second crossing but commended the staff鈥檚 work on seeking a less drastic approach.
鈥淎n incremental approach from Spall to Dilworth 鈥� Highway 33 if we鈥檙e lucky 鈥� would be a useful road that will help overall,鈥� said Coun. Luke Stack.
鈥淚 like the incremental approach to moving this forward and I think we鈥檙e on the right path.鈥�
Despite the fact that she hasn鈥檛 dismissed a second bridge for the future, Coun. Gail Given said she sees 鈥済reat wisdom鈥� in staff investigating the extension as an arterial roadway rather than a freeway.
鈥淲hile we haven鈥檛 totally written off the second crossing, the evidence points in a different direction,鈥� she said.
鈥�(This plan) is going to provide the best benefit to our community in the shorter term.鈥�
She did, however, ask staff to consider the potential future development in their land acquisitions.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing worse than having a highway corridor that鈥檚 constrained with a building immediately on either side and you have no options into the future. As we do our land acquisition, we should plan for a much broader corridor. One that would support transit into the future or that would support a freeway into the future.鈥�
A 鈥渂ridge to nowhere鈥� is how Coun. Charlie Hodge described the second crossing.
鈥淏uilding a second crossing in my mind makes no sense,鈥� said Coun. Charlie Hodge.
Hodge expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the project, citing that the newly proposed plans cross two wetlands.
鈥淭his road goes right through wetlands. What does the Ministry of Environment have to say about that?鈥� he asked.
Villarreal said the area between Spall and Highway 33 is a very complicated site from an environmental perspective.
鈥淲hen the first designs were done in 2008, the regulation wasn鈥檛 as complicated as it is today,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e are going to make sure that there is enough mitigation. The ministry is going to have to tell us what we need.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 part of why this road is expensive. If we鈥檙e going to build it, we have to make sure we comply with all the environmental regulations.鈥�
michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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