North Okanagan petition calls for Highway 97A medians after fatal crashes

Sunday’s fatal collision on Highway 97A has prompted a call to action for some North Okanagan residents.

Hundreds have signed an online petition to install median barriers on the highway.

The head-on crash near the intersection of Powerhouse Road in the Armstrong area claimed the life of a Calgary woman in her early sixties.

It was after this latest collision that petition organizer Jessica Tabe started to collect signatures.

She lost her grandmother-in-law in a crash in the same general area of highway last February and feels the barriers could have not only helped her relative, but also prevented this week’s crash from turning fatal.

“It could have saved that person’s life. They would still be here instead of their family planning their funeral,” Tabe said.

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Tabe believes it’s a change that can’t wait and it seems others agree. In just three days, almost 900 people have signed her petition.

“It is just senseless to just keep waiting and putting it off if we can get it in.”

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The highway is notorious for serious collisions.

In one case in 2017, a northbound semi-truck hit a cow, crossed over the centre line and went across the southbound lanes before slamming into a house.

In that case, the truck driver was seriously injured.

2:05 Collision with cow on Highway 97A sends semi into Armstrong yards

Political Pressure

The province isn’t committing to a timeline for installing barriers, nor did it make anyone available for an interview on Wednesday.

However, there has been political pressure to push the project forward and planning work has been done.

Despite being in opposition, local MLA Eric Foster said he’s been lobbying the government for median barriers for months.

Foster admits this type of a project can take time due to the engineering work needed.

However, Foster said that work is now completed and the recommendation is to install the barrier.

“It’s all been completed,” Foster said.

“The recommendation is that the median be installed. The engineering is done, the planning’s all done.”

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The province says it’s identified a 1.3-kilometre stretch in the area where Tabe’s relative was killed were a median could be installed.

All that’s needed now is the money, and it’s unclear when that might be allocated.

“I certainly feel terrible about what’s happened, as everybody does, and I’m hoping that we might be able to push it along,” Foster said.

In a statement, the ministry responsible said it would also be reviewing the area where Sunday’s crash took place to see if safety improvements could be made.

Tabe is urging those in power to consider the experience that the crash victim’s family members have endured.

“If this was their loved one, what would they want to happen,” Tabe said.

Family Tragedy

Tabe’s grandmother-in-law, Ruth Blencoe, was killed in a crash on Highway 97A at the intersection with Pleasant Valley Road.

“She was headed to Armstrong for work and her vehicle slid across the intersection and hit an oncoming truck,” Tabe said.

“If her life could have been saved by a meridian, it is pretty sad that she went out that way, especially being so young. She was only 43, so she had a lot of life left.”

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Tragically, Blencoe, a popular dance instructor in Vernon, never got to meet her new grandson, who arrived just a week after the fatal crash.