Your City Hall just made a decision about your commute
Good morning from the Okanagan — the lake is calm, the vines are growing, and we have things to discuss.
Okay but here's the thing nobody talks about: your daily drive across the William R. Bennett Bridge is about to get a little bit more interesting, or at least, a lot more discussed. City Hall just approved a new traffic study, focusing entirely on the bridge approaches and the impact of continued development on both sides of Okanagan Lake.
**What They're Looking At**
This isn't just about counting cars. The study, approved by council in a 7-2 vote this past Tuesday, will look at:
* The average daily vehicle count, currently estimated at over 65,000 trips. * Peak hour congestion points, specifically where the bridge meets Harvey Avenue on the Kelowna side and Highway 97 on the West Kelowna side. * Future projections based on the rapid growth we're seeing, particularly in the Westside and the Mission.
This is a big deal because anyone who commutes knows that bridge is the lifeblood connecting us. They're trying to figure out if we can survive being discovered, and this bridge is ground zero for that. Expect preliminary findings to be presented by late fall, just in time for the ski season traffic to really kick in.
That's the latest from City Hall, and remember to stay safe out there.
Nina Papadimitriou, MiTL Sports Desk, Kelowna.
Keith and the gang are digging into this on the Morning Wire right now, tune in at mornings.live.