B.C. transportation minister Todd Stone watches crew members post a new speed limit sign on Coquihalla near Kamloops on July 2, 2014.
Image Credit: Ministry of Transportation/Hand out
July 04, 2014 - 2:26 PM
ENDERBY – The B.C. Minister of Transportation announced with great fanfare this week speed limits will be rising on around 1,300 kilometres of highway, but not everyone shares Todd Stone’s enthusiasm.
Lead-footed drivers who have trouble keeping their vehicles travelling 110 kilometres per hour on the Coquihalla are being rewarded with a new 120 km/h speed limit effective as of Wednesday.
Commuters and travelers in the Okanagan will see the speed limit rise on sections of Highway 97 and 97A by 10 km/h. The province is only saying the change will happen at some point this summer.
Mayor of Enderby and former RCMP officer Howie Cyr is not pleased with the provincial government’s decision to jack up the speed limit around his community.
The speed limit on the 18 km stretch of Highway 97A, north of Smith Drive in Armstrong to the Highway 97B junction just south of Enderby, is going from 90 to 100 km/h.
As well, the limit is rising from 80 to 90 km/h on 18 km of Highway 97A from Grindrod to Sicamous.
“I’m curious to know why the province didn’t ask us what we and the Splatsin First Nation thought about the changes,” Cyr says. “The province didn’t consult us and that’s unfortunate.”
He says they already have a problem getting drivers to slow down to 50 km/h within the city.
Cyr also points out pedestrian safety has been a concern at the Splatsin First Nation corner at the south end of town for many years. He hopes the province will pay for more traffic enforcement.
He’s going to bring up the issue at the next city council meeting. At the very least he wants the councillors to ask the minister for his rationale and justification.
“It’s more than changing the numbers on the speed signs.”
To contact the reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander at halexander@infotelnews.ca or call 250-491-0331. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014