Coming improvements to Highway 97 through Peachland is good news to district council, but there are still concerns about speed limits.

A Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) delegation presented the Central Okanagan Integrated Transportation Study to council at its March 14 meeting.

Council heard that detailed design is underway to eventually install traffic signals for Trepanier Road and the highway.

鈥淚t鈥檚 many, many millions of dollars to fix that intersection,鈥� said Steve Sarret, executive director MOTI Southern Interior. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just talking about a signal, we鈥檙e talking about access improvements and improvements at other intersections as well.鈥�

No timeline was given for work to begin. A protected 鈥楾鈥� intersection at Renfrew Road has also been identified as a ministry priority.

Coun. Keith Thom brought up concerns about speed limits on the highway.

鈥淲e have this sort of speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down throughout the town. It would just make sense to me to have slow down as the priority.鈥�

Thom added council recently turned down a housing development due to safety concerns about accessing the highway.

READ MORE: 鈥榃e have concerns about the safety of our highway鈥�: Peachland CAO after fatal crash

Mayor Patrick Van Minsel noted that in a meeting with MOTI Minister Rob Fleming, speed limits from Princeton Avenue to Antlers Beach might be considered for reduction.

鈥淭o bring it down and also help us with access to the highway with developments that are proposed there,鈥� added Van Minsel.

Development along the route was also a concern for Coun. Doug Collins.

鈥淗ighway 97 in its current form through Peachland is stifling economic development,鈥� he said. 鈥淗ere we are with development applications and we鈥檙e worried about the safety of that and so are the residents.鈥�

Collins added that having the ministry鈥檚 help in addressing those challenges would benefit the community and also to satisfy the provincial mandate to increase housing.

A bypass route, above Highway 97, is still on the table but is part of a longer-term plan, closer to 2040, according to Sarret.

Mayor Van Minsel also told council that money is coming soon from MOTI to help complete the Westside Trail, connecting Peachland to West 琉璃神社 and out the W.R. Bennett Bridge.

READ MORE: Province eyes additional 鈥榯ransit-only鈥� lane for 琉璃神社鈥檚 W.R. Bennett Bridge: Study

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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