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Transportation
Removing land from Kal Park in Vernon continues to worry local officials
VERNON - Additional concerns are arising around a controversial plan to remove land from Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park in Vernon. The Regional District of the North Okanagan board of directors finally heard from B.C. Parks this week about a Ministry of Transportation proposal to remove a 20 metre right-of-way, down from an originally requested 30...
Province changes date for open house on Stickle Road intersection improvements plan
VERNON - There’s a new date for an upcoming open house on proposed changes to the Stickle Road intersection in Vernon. Ministry of Transportation staff will present their second plan for the intersection at Highway 97 after the first was scrapped back in May. The open house was originally set for July 30, right before the long...
Province’s new Stickle Road proposal fails to impress Vernon officials
VERNON - Better, but not good enough is the message Vernon council sent to the Ministry of Transportation during a presentation about a new idea for improving the Stickle Road intersection. Plans for a right-in, right-out only access to and from Stickle Road on Highway 97 just north of the city were scrapped in May...
City puts brakes on community group wanting to build new Vernon bus shelters
WHAT GOES ON CITY PROPERTY MUST MEET CITY POLICY VERNON - The intentions behind a grassroots movement to spruce up Vernon’s run-down bus stops are good ones, but the City of Vernon is still putting brakes on the project, at least for now. Vernon-based organization Noteworthy Neighbourhoods hoped to get started building a new, covered...
Kelowna wants to boost walking and cycling
KELOWNA - A push to get more residents making trips on foot or on a bike will be enshrined in a pedestrian and bicycle master plan after city council endorsed a staff proposal this week. In a report to council, transportation manager Moudud Hasan says the goal is to leverage the increases already achieved since...
Vernon city council prepares decades ahead for future highway bypass
VERNON - It wouldn’t be built, or required, for another 25 to 65 years, but Vernon council is starting to plan for a potential bypass around the city. It’s been talked about for years, but today’s council is taking a firm stance on the need to start planning, and protecting a corridor for it, now....
Lumby man crashes car in dense fog, requires rescue
VERNON - Emergency personnel rushed to get an injured man out of his car after it flipped on Highway 6 over the long weekend. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says police were called to the single vehicle accident about 5:45 p.m. Monday, May 18. A 20-year-old Lumby man’s vehicle crashed and rolled, trapping him inside, Molendyk...
Stickle Road plan back to the drawing board
VERNON - A controversial plan to change the intersection of Stickle Road and Highway 97 has been shelved. Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster says the idea of eliminating lefthand turns from Stickle Road onto the highway has been thrown out, and the Province will come up with a new plan for improving the intersection. “The Transportation...
HELSTON: Improving Stickle Road needs to be a two-way street
Anyone who’s waited five minutes to make a risky, left-hand break for it off Stickle Road onto Highway 97 towards Vernon knows something needs to change before someone gets killed. Agreeing there’s a problem is the easy part. Finding a solution is where the road rage sets in. Right now, we’ve got the Ministry of...
Province revealing proposed upgrade for dangerous Vernon intersection
VERNON - Members of the public can get more information about proposed changes to a well-used road off Highway 97 on the Swan Lake auto mile tonight. Full details about the Ministry of Transportation’s plan for Stickle Road where it meets Highway 97 have so far been scarce, but government officials intend to unveil the...
Mud slide shuts down Highway 6 near Needles Ferry crossing
VERNON - Highway 6 is shut down in both directions one kilometre west of the Needles Ferry, due to a mud slide. According to Drive B.C., there is a detour available on Barnes Creek Forest Service Road. As of 3 a.m. Feb. 19, road assessment was still in progress and there was no estimated time of...
Vernon School District seeks feedback on busing changes
VERNON - The Vernon School District is reaching out to parents for input on contentious bussing changes implemented this year. In a recent survey, parents were asked for feedback on School District 22’s transportation policy, which now enforces a 2.4 km walk limit at all its schools. About 300 students living within the walk limit...
Free bus rides on election day
PENTICTON - The City and Transit B.C. are offering free bus rides on voting day to encourage Penticton residents to come out and vote, free of charge. All regular route buses and HandyDart rides will be free for passengers heading to the polls on Saturday, Nov. 15. The General Election will be held at the...
The Fintry Queen is coming to Penticton
PENTICTON - The Fintry Queen has found a new home on the south shore of Okanagan Lake, after spending years docked in a Kelowna bay. The city of Penticton agreed to a license with Fintry operators, the Okanagan Lake Boat Company, on Monday night. The five-year agreement will cost a total of $70,000 for moorage...
WestJet encourages winter season in South Okanagan
PENTICTON - The arrival of WestJet in Penticton is encouraging the City, tourism and other organizations throughout the South Okanagan to focus on what the region as to offer in the winter season. AirCanada will no longer be the sole airline flying out of Penticton once WestJet joins the ranks at the end of October,...
Challenge Penticton challenges drivers
PENTICTON - The city will be bustling with athletes, coaches and families this weekend as everyone gets ready for the second Challenge Penticton triathlon race on Sunday. There are all kinds of family-friendly events planned including fun runs, a junior triathlon race, a party in the park, free yoga and a charity swim. The weekend wraps up...
Council to consider reducing speed limit in downtown core
PENTICTON - Council has been asked to consider reducing the speed limit in the downtown core to 30 km/h, to make the area more pedestrian friendly. The recommendation came from the Downtown Revitalization committee and is part of the revitalization plan the city continues to work on. There are currently parts of the downtown core...
TransitBC looks to Okanagan residents for ideas connecting communities
PENTICTON - TransitBC is sending its Transit Future Team to the Okanagan to get feedback from residents on the kind of long-term transit plan they would like in their communities. This visit is part of the second phase of a new transit plan the Regional District of the Okanagan-Similkameen and TransitBC to make transit more...
Penticton airport runway to be repaved; passengers accommodated
PENTICTON - The airport runway maintenance project starting next week will impact flights and could potentially have a negative impact on visitors' perceptions of Penticton. Air Canada, the main airline that flies out of Penticton Regional Airport, is jumping through hoops to make sure passengers are properly accommodated, the city's Colleen Pennington said. According to...
Investigation into cause of rockslide continues
SUMMERLAND – The section of Highway 97 that was hit by a rockslide between Peachland and Summerland Sunday will remain partially closed until at least Tuesday. Murray Tekano of the Ministry of Transportation says until the 500 cubic metres of debris is cleared, highway traffic will be down to one lane in each direction. “Right now...
Ski hill calls for improvements on B.C.’s worst road
“WE HAVE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR RESORT AT THE END OF A CRAPPY DRIVE” VERNON - A major Vernon tourism engine is calling for improvements on the province’s worst road. Silver Star Mountain Resort’s operations manager Brad Baker says something has to be done about Silver Star Road, which was nominated as the worst road in...