Every day, cars, trucks and big rigs zoom up Highway 97 in Kelowna just south of UBC-Okanagan at Ellison Bridge, mere feet away from cyclists heading in the same direction.
Warning signs may dot this particular stretch of highway, which has a very narrow shoulder, but there is no denying it is a risky place to bike.
“I cycle everyday and it’s the worst part of my day, going over this bridge,” said Edward Butz, a university professor who cycles to school.
Butz says he is always concerned about his safety as he rides along the particular stretch of road.
On Saturday, officials unveiled a new sensor and sign they say will make crossing the bridge much safer.
“The intention of the sign is to make truck drivers, motorists aware they are sharing the road with cyclists,” said Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick. “Hopefully that will make it safer for cyclists as they’re crossing the road.”
“The sign is activated by a detector that’s activated in the shoulder of the roadway,” said Murray Tekano, district manager of transportation for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. “It knows when a cyclist is passing over it and it will activate the sign.”
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Construction on a new bike path is set to begin next year; the pathway will bypass the stretch of highway all together but until then, cyclists will have to suffice with the new sensor system.
“This is an interim opportunity and hopefully will identify the need for the cyclists to go safely across a very narrow portion of the bridge and access UBC-Okanagan,” said Kelowna mayor Sharon Shepherd.
Some cyclists who ride the route say the light is better than nothing but say it ultimately doesn’t solve the problem.
“It’s a good idea. Is it a solution? No,” said cyclist Tom Beggs. “Lights and signs are good. They already have signage up there. They’re now going to have a flashy light as well as the signage. If there’s a big rig a foot off the handlebars, there’s still going to be a big rig a foot off your handlebars. It’s a question of physical space, there just isn’t enough room.”
Meanwhile, cyclists are looking forward to the new bike path and hope it will be the solution everyone is after.
“This is just a bandaid,” said Butz. “No one is kidding themselves here that this is going to solve the problem.”
The sensor is solar powered and has battery life so it can be used 24 hours a day.
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