Power pole problem solved?

PENTICTON – The City of Penticton’s Public Works Department recently completed modifications to a couple of errant Fortis power poles located at the intersection of Industrial Avenue and Atkinson Street.

The work was required after a major upgrade of the street earlier this year to add curbs and sidewalks at the intersection. Two Fortis power poles ended up on the road right of way as a result of the improvements, creating a potential hazard for drivers and handicapped pedestrians.

Prohibitive cost estimates from Fortis for relocation of the poles meant public works had to come up with a way to answer safety concerns about the poles’ location.

The city’s solution was to build an additional curb and island surrounding the utility poles to isolate them from the roadway. Additional signs, curb painting and paving strips to the signal controls to allow handicap and wheeled pedestrian access was also done, as well as upgrades in pedestrian controls for traffic signals at the intersection to become isolated from the sidewalks. The city also mitigated this problem by paving strips to the signal controls to allow handicap and wheeled pedestrian access.

How do you feel about the upgrades? Do you think safety concerns have been adequately addressed? Let us know with a comment.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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