Todd Road consultation brings out Barnhartvale residents

KAMLOOPS – Kamloops city staff went to Barnhartvale this week to discuss upgrades to Todd Road.

For years citizens of the area have wanted work done to create a safer pedestrian area along the road which goes past Rob L. Clemitson Elementary. The city held the information session at the school, Feb. 10.

The session went well according to the city's engineering manager Deven Matkowski. He figure about 140 came out for the meeting.

Matkowski says most of the conversation was positive, though some residents were hoping for a longer sidewalk and larger overall project. It’s currently planned for the section of Todd Road between Klahanie Drive and Ronde Lane, or about a 1.3 km stretch of road.

“Everyone is curious how it’s going to impact themselves directly,” he says. “It’s early in the project, but people are curious.”

City transportation coordinator Colleen Lepik was also on hand to answer questions. She says she was involved with the Barnhartvale safer school program a few years ago, and the Todd Road project come out of that, as residents are concerned for students travelling along the road with no pedestrian area.

“People are concerned, in terms with the conceptual plan, that it’s not extended enough, that it should go up to the school,” she says.

Both Lepik and Matkowski say the project is in early stages and no hard plans have been made.

Matkowski says they wouldn’t normally hold an open house this early in a project’s planning stages, but residents’ curiosity was high. Construction is still years away, so the current plan may change.

“We look forward to more consultation with the community prior to construction,” Lepik says.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin at bkergin@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.