Kaleden residents have been calling on the province to improve traffic safety along Highway 97 for years, and now there is good news.
After engaging a project team to review options, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoIT) has approved a protected turning lane at the Highway 97 and Highway 3A intersection near Kaleden, B.C.
“I am thrilled. The ministry of transportation has stepped up. They have heard and they have seen the concerns of the residents. It is good to see progress,” said Kaleden Area Director Subrina Monteith.
Following November’s atmospheric river event and related highway closures, the intesection saw a significant increase in traffic.
Highway 97 has also been the scene of many accidents and near-misses over the years, prompting residents to start a petition asking for immediate change in the area.
The online petition has gathered more than 4,000 signatures as of Monday evening.
“The conversations were in place before the petition and before the floods, but both of those things helped make it very evident what the challenges were,” said MLA for Boundary-Similkameen Roly Russell.
“It certainly didn’t hurt and probably moved this along a lot faster.”
If all the pieces fall into place, construction could go ahead as early as this summer.
“The project team is moving ahead on detailed design for this improvement, during which consultation with key stakeholders will take place, including local emergency services and first responders. The ministry has begun consultation with Penticton Indian Band,” said the MoIT statement.
The MoIT added that the turning lane is still subject to final funding approval as well.
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