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January 25, 2022 - 6:00 AM
A highway safety petition, with more than 4,000 signatures, has the attention of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Drivers who commonly commute along Highway 97 between Penticton and Okanagan Falls, and the Kaleden Citizen Committee for Traffic Safety requested action from the ministry to improve road safety.
The online petition explained that the highway experiences many collisions primarily at the intersection of Highway 3A and at the exit to Kaleden.
The ministry has now engaged a project team to review options for the Highways 97 and 3A intersection near Kaleden.
“This review has been completed and a protected turning lane was found to be the best option for both safety and constructability,” the ministry said.
After the atmospheric river event in November, the intersection had a significant increase in traffic due to the closure of Highway 5, and the increased traffic has only made safety concerns grow, with more vehicles from the Lower Mainland being redirected to Highway 3A.
READ MORE: Thousands sign petition for safer highway between Penticton and Okanagan Falls
“The intersection remains a high-risk area. There is an ongoing dialog with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure,” the petition website said. “We must keep up the pressure.”
The project team is now moving ahead on a design for the highway improvement and is in consultation with stakeholders, local emergency services, first responders, and the
Penticton Indian Band.
Final funding approval, results of engagement and consultations, and improvement construction is subject to approval, but could begin as early as this summer, the ministry said.
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