A pile of ripped up rails at the Hardy Road level crossing in Kelowna.
(JOHN MCDONALD / iNFOnews.ca)
November 17, 2015 - 4:30 PM
CENTRAL OKANAGAN - Crews have begun lifting the rails from the former CN railway corridor, making way for the eventual construction of the Okanagan Rail Trail.
According to the City of Kelowna website, CN Rail has contracted with Westcan Rail Ltd. to remove the 48.5 kilometres of rails from Hardy Road in Kelowna to Coldstream.
Under terms of the sale of the corridor, CN Rail is responsible for removing its equipment and bringing the corridor up to an industrial standard, including performing remedial environmental work if needed.
The company has until 2017 to complete the remediation process and the city says construction of the proposed multi-use pathway will only begin once those conditions are met.
Until then, the city says residents should stay off the corridor, citing the danger of rail spikes and ties left behind after the rails are lifted.
The city is also warning residents of intermittent traffic delays at level crossings during the remediation process.
To contact a reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015