(MARSHALL JONES / iNFOnews.ca)

The mayor of Penticton is calling for alternate routes after people got stuck on a forest service road detouring around the congestion caused by a bomb threat on the Bennett bridge in Kelowna.

People tried to go around Highway 97 and got stuck on 201 Forest Service Road after a man in mental distress blocked the William R. Bennett bridge with a van, Jan. 27. The man said the van was filled with explosives.

“Monday, the unexpected closure of the William R Bennett Bridge due to an emergency effectively severed the primary route between Penticton and Kelowna. With the 201 remaining in unsuitable condition for travel, travellers and residents were left with no realistic or viable alternative. Many were forced to take Highway 33 adding upwards of 3 hours to their journey, while others were forced to cancel long awaited medical appointments, endure costly delays or navigate uncertainty in an already strained regional transportation network,” Penticton mayor Julius Bloomfield said in a press release issued today, Jan. 29.

The bridge was closed for roughly 10 hours causing major traffic delays throughout the region.

People attempting to detour around the blockage on 201 Forest Service Road found themselves stuck to the point where search and rescue crews were called in to help.

READ MORE: BC Conservatives demand action on Okanagan highway

“The lack of an alternative route is no longer just an inconvenience, it is a fundamental failure of transportation planning that puts thousands of residents, businesses and emergency services at risk,” Bloomfield said. “The City of Penticton has repeatedly raised the issue of the 201 with the Southern Interior Local Government Association and with the Ministry at the Union of British Columbia meetings in 2024 and has received widespread support. This route should be a viable emergency alternative but remains impassable due to inadequate maintenance and the absence of proper accessibility standards. This cannot continue.”

Kelowna RCMP had to warn people not to take the forest service road since it isn’t regularly maintained.

Bloomfield’s comments come after local BC Conservative MLAs demanded Highway 97 improvements following the bomb threat earlier this week. Incidents like the 2023 Summerland rockslide, wildfires, construction and more on Highway 97 make it incredibly difficult for people in South Okanagan to travel north, they said.

“Highway 97 closures and delays are no longer isolated incidents, they are a recurring reality. Without urgent provincial action to improve resilience in our transportation network, the economic, social, and safety impacts will only continue to grow,” Penticton's mayor said.

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