New traffic lights flipped on at Princeton intersections

Traffic signals are now on at two Princeton intersections that the town’s mayor once expressed concern over.

The two new signals are installed at the intersections of Highway 3 and Highway 5A, and Highway 5A and Bridge Street.

Highway lighting has also been added between the new signals, and the lanes on Highway 5A at Bridge Street have been modified to allow a northbound right-turn lane.

During last year’s wildfires, these intersections were flooded with traffic when Princeton became the detour route for travellers, as the Coquihalla Highway was closed between Merritt and Hope.

So much so that town mayor Spencer Coyne said he feared someone was going to get really hurt unless the province stepped up with a solution.

“The community asked for help, and our government is committed to keeping people safe. These intersection improvements will do exactly that for people living in and around Princeton, and all of our highway travellers,” said Roly Russell, the MLA for Boundary-Similkameen.

Speaking on behalf of transportation minister Rob Fleming, Russell said that temporary and emergency changes to highway flows can dramatically increase traffic and congestion in Princeton.

He also praised Coyne for his advocacy on behalf of his constituents.

The improvements will also help manage increased traffic resulting from periodic highway closures in the region due to events such as severe winter storms, wildfires and flooding.

As highways 3 and 5A meet with Bridge Street, the main downtown street in Princeton, additional traffic-control measures are required to ensure the safety of residents and travellers.

“The new traffic lights for these intersections are a huge sigh of relief,” Coyne said. “We want to thank the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for coming up with a solution so quickly and before the Family Day weekend.

“We believe that the new lights will make it safer to drive and walk across the busy intersections.”

1:51 B.C. Highway 3 east of Princeton undergoing flood mitigations

Additional enhancements will be finished this spring, such as upgrading to fibre optics, improving the accessibility of the sidewalks and applying permanent line painting,

The project is being completed by Westcana Electric Inc., the ministry’s regional electrical services contractor.