A provincial study looking at the future of Highway 97 through the Central Okanagan has narrowed the location of a possible future second crossing of Okanagan Lake to just north of downtown 琉璃神社.

Four landing spots on the 琉璃神社 side of of the lake鈥攐ne at the foot of Knox Mountain, one where the existing Tolko mill is located, one at Manhattan Point and one just south of the mill near Rotary Marshes鈥攁re identified as possible options according to Ministry of Transportation鈥檚 planning study. The study, which has been underway for the last year, is scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2017. No timelines or costs have been given for a second crossing project.

鈥淲e still have a lot of work to do,鈥� said Murray Tekano, project manager for the study.

Because only four per cent of traffic currently crossing the lake passes through the area without stopping, crossing routes to the south and north of 琉璃神社 that would feed into bypass routes have been dropped as possible options, he said.

Tekano did say information gathering has shown there is much more interest in a second crossing among the public, politicians and groups on the Westside than there is on the 琉璃神社 side.

As for where a second crossing would land on the west side of the lake, that is less clear.

The study鈥檚 newest information, presented in Lake Country Monday and set to be available to the public at an open house this afternoon in 琉璃神社, shows a possible Westside landing somewhere along a six kilometre-stretch running from south of Old Ferry Wharf Road to north of Bear Creek Provincial Park. A connection route to the existing highway would then have to be determined.

On the 琉璃神社 side, all four approaches to a second bridge would impact existing residential and commercial development in the city parts of the North End. They would all connect to the existing Clement Avenue downtown bypass, just east of Gordon Drive, with one veering to the north and skirting Knox Mountain.

The three others would continue on Clement, with one veering off at Richter Street to cross where the mill is currently located, while the other two routes would continue along Clement with one cutting through the Manhattan Point neighbourhood and the other crossing just north of Rotary Marshes.

In addition to the second crossing, the study is also looking at the highway from Westbank to just south of Vernon. The Peachland area was originally part of the study but was removed because a separate study is being conducted there to look at possible realigning of the highway in the area.

In Westbank, the study looks at replacing the existing Highway 97 couplet through the area with an improved and widened Dobbin Road only, as well as limiting access to Highway 97 in other parts between Westbank and the Bennett Bridge. New overpasses and exchanges could be built at key intersections to allow traffic to cross the highway. It also floats the idea of a possible bypass route north of the existing highway, part of which would be dependent on where a second crossing would land on the Westside.

Limited access to the existing highway is also contemplated on the 琉璃神社 side, with various options for crossing the highway including overpasses or interchanges at key intersections, such as Gordon Drive, Dilworth, Highway 33, McCurdy, Sexsmith John Hindle Drive and Airport Way. One option shows and elevated highway between the bridge and Spall Road, another a possible tunnel along part of that stretch.

鈥淲e want to show the public that we have looked at everything,鈥� said Tekano. 鈥淲e are not picking favourites.鈥�

In Lake Country possible interchanges could be built at Commonwealth Road Janet Road, Okanagan Centre East road and Oceola Road.

Last week, the ministry said its planning shows that by 2040 the existing Bennett Bridge will reach capacity, traffic lights along the route will have lengthy wait times and a trip between Peachland and Lake Country will take nearly 30 minutes longer than it does now.

Today鈥檚 open house is scheduled to run from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Ramada Hotel in 琉璃神社. A third open house will be held in West 琉璃神社 on Thursday at the Westbank Lions Community Hall from 3:30 p.m.to 7 p.m.