LAKE COUNTRY, BC – A highway improvement project that was meant to improve safety for Okanagan travelers has created a whole new set of safety concerns.
Lake Country RCMP say the new stretch of Highway 97 between Oyama and Winfield has become a speedway that’s too dangerous for them to enforce.
“The new portion of highway has been subject to complaints of persons driving at high rate of speed,” writes Sergeant Barbara Holley, acting head of the Lake Country RCMP, in a report to council. “The enforcement of this area has presented a challenge to the Lake Country RCMP, due to the lack of safe areas to pull over vehicles.”
Mayor James Baker says he’s heard speeders have been caught at speeds over 140km/h along the 100 km/h stretch. While Lake Country council had requested pull outs on the route ahead of construction, the idea was turned down.
“Certainly we’d like to see a pullout or two, and that’s a big cost item,” says Baker.
Questions about pullouts on the route were sent to the BC Ministry of Transportation, which responded by saying, “The ministry works to ensure all highway projects are built to address the needs of all enforcement and emergency service providers, including the police and RCMP.”
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Ministry spokesperson Robert Adam said the new stretch of Highway 97 through Lake Country “…has wide paved shoulders that provide ample room for all enforcement vehicles to pull off to the side of the highway”, which contradicts the current experience reported by Lake Country emergency responders.
“There’s a few that see how close they can get to you just to scare you,” says Lake Country tow truck operator Ben Christensen. “It’s safer than the old highway, but not yet as safe.”
The ministry is planning and designing a viewpoint pullout on the northbound side, but it is for “locals and tourists to be able to safely pull off the highway, enjoy the view and take photographs,” according to Adam.
The District of Lake Country is working with the provincial and federal government to consider lowering the current speed and adding safety pullouts for emergency crews.
RCMP suggests photo radar or a speed reader sign could help remind motorists to slow down along the new stretch of highway.
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