FILE PHOTO - The new Kelowna Costco warehouse held a grand opening Feb. 17, 2022.

(CARLI BERRY / iNFOnews.ca)

Costco opened its new Kelowna outlet one month ago today, on Feb. 17, drawing rave reviews from Costco fans.

Ron Ready, who lives in a nearby condo complex, was one of the strongest voices opposed to its location at the intersection of Springfield and Leckie roads because of the traffic it would bring to the neighbourhood.

READ MORE: Costco absent from discussion about neighbourhood impact, says resident

“The traffic is still an issue,” the former strata president of Dilworth Green told iNFOnews.ca today, March 17. “The roads just aren’t designed to carry the amount of traffic that it has generated. There are constantly back-up problems on all side of the complex, whether it’s Springfield Road or Leckie or Baron – or Dilworth for that matter, over by Orchard Park.”

A traffic impact study, that was done before the land was rezoned last year, made a number of road improvement recommendations that have been built, including longer and more left turn lanes, and turn signals on the major roads.

“The other thing I’ve noticed is the amount of traffic that is still funnelling down Baron Road,” Ready said, referring to the two-lane road that runs roughly parallel to and in between Highway 97 and Springfield Road. “It’s obviously coming from Highway 33 – it’s got to be – either that or they’re coming off of Banks Road. The traffic lines are back past Banks Road on Baron and I’m going: ‘Where are all these people coming from?’”

His suggestion is to add left turn signals for people turning off Leckie Road onto Baron Road, in either direction.

He’s also noticed an increase in speed by people racing along the Leckie Road, which now has four lanes.

But Ready is resigned to living with the new reality in his neighbourhood.

“What do you do?” he pondered. “They certainly haven’t got the ability to widen the roads. Dropping the speed limit isn’t going to do anything because people don’t pay any attention to speed limit signs, particularly in Kelowna.”

How do you find traffic around the new Costco, and Kelowna in general? Let us know in the comments section below.

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