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Post by Administrator on Nov 9, 2004 18:03:24 GMT -5
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Post by Duane T on Nov 16, 2004 15:21:10 GMT -5
Maybe the City of kelowna and the Westbank First Nations community could sit down and discuss the possiblility of building a second bridge together. The other idea is to have the Westband First Nations build the second crossing and use it for a toll bridge for the first few years. This way the second crossing could be build sooner and without using much public money. This would also assist in the building the north end connector. The Westbank First Nations had a bridge plan designed already, I wonder if it would be possible to adapt that one to the north end connector. Anyone have any thoughts on this?  |
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Post by Administrator on Nov 18, 2004 17:14:38 GMT -5
Not a bad idea. I actually really liked the Westbank First Nations bridge proposal - it was a lot nicer then what we will be getting. But politically I doubt this will happen unfortunately.
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Post by DuaneT on Nov 26, 2004 13:01:25 GMT -5
After going to the Roads Task Force Open House and then reading the information package, i can honestly say that none of the options presented in their present form will solve Kelowna's traffic problem. Some do come very close but in my humble opinion if you combined some of the options together then you would have a working solution.
My suggestion would be to create an under/over pass at water street, build the new connection from water to pandosy. This road would be a Two way road (I would suggest making it a 4 lane Rd if possible as we all know that Pandosy should be 4 laned all the way down to Lakeshore and then Lakeshore should be 4 laned all the way down to Kettle Valley). Make pandosy a right turn only onto the highway and then build an underpass at Richter st.
I would also 4 lane Richter St from the new north end connector all the way down to KLO rd.
As a result you would lose the traffic lights at Pandosy and Richter St. So you would run into a light at Abbot St, Ellis St and then Ethel St.
I would also like to suggest that the hwy be 6 laned all the down to reids corner not just to hwy 33.
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Post by Matt Phillips on Jan 1, 2005 21:36:15 GMT -5
the largest problem with bridge traffic is the lights at the first few interesections
Duane's idea of an over/underpass would work very well, and i had thought of that quite a while ago.
the problem here is that there is no room, unless a large portion of city park and the area with Mill creek was redesigned.
firstly, it would be incredibly difficult to do construction in that area, because all traffic crossing the lake must go through that point, and there is no detour route.
secondly, Abbott Street is designed to be a "lovely stroll" kind of road, hence the extra large bikepath, the artwork, greenery, and mirrors. in fact, Abbott Stree reminds me a lot of Kasugai Japan, the extra large pedestrian path looks like a lane on the right side of you, and the mirrors are the exact same that are in use in Japan to look around dangerous corners.
doing an overpass/underpass here would not be possible untill there were 2 routes across the lake. and even with that, one road would have to rise, while the other dipped, in order to make it more smooth for both streets, and not cause as much disturbance to the outlying area.
the best idea would be to have a crossing routing traffic around the downtown area rather than through it.
especially with the new downtown depelopments, that area will become more pedestrian, therefore making it harder for traffic to move through. Kelowna needs a crossing that takes people from Kelowna to westbank and vise versa, and a seperate crossing that takes people through the area without having to go directly through Kelowna. the best place for this would the north end.
at the Highway 97, Westside Road Intersection, the highway could split, one part continuing the usual route into Kelowna becoming Harvey Av.
the other route going down a redone Westside road (the road could be widened to 4 lanes, and the area could be smoothed out) a short distance down there, the new Highway 97 would turn and cross the lake towards the north end of kelowna, while westide road continues northwards.
a single crossing of the lake, no matter how many lanes, will not solve the problem of Bernard being used for both Local Traffic, Kelowna-Westbank Traffic, and Highway 97 Traffic.
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Eric Reimer Retired MOTH
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Post by Eric Reimer Retired MOTH on Feb 2, 2005 17:14:52 GMT -5
As retired M.O.T.H. Electrical Foreman for the Okanagan, in my view Alternative #18 is your best bet. My only concern is handicap people being able to negotiate the overpasses so an underpass may be better and be put at Ellis Street (centre of downtown) as there are more people living in that area across the highway in apartments, etc. This alternative is also better for highway co-ordination because when intersections are approximately the same distance apart you have a bigger window to co-ordinate with. Consequently there is a greater part of the highway green that can pass more traffic without extending the overall time cycle.
The problem at present on Hwy 97 is the short distance between Pandosy & Ellis. If you use alternative #19 you move the problem between Abbott & Water. If what we are trying to do is move traffic to the north and south your Alternative #18 addresses that, the only thing to do is 4 lane Water Street from Hwy 97 to Bernard Ave by taking out the parking. (the Lawrence Avenue parkade is not far away).
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Post by DuaneT on Feb 5, 2005 16:18:01 GMT -5
Earlier this week, the city decided to go with the option 19 for the solving the traffic problem. What does everyone thing of that option?
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Post by Matt Phillips on Feb 16, 2005 23:17:05 GMT -5
I think it's a great 'temporary' plan.
it will work for a while but eventually something larger scale will have to be done.
the are where the connecter is to be built, what is there now?
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jared
New Member
Posts: 28
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Post by jared on Jun 10, 2005 18:54:19 GMT -5
Anyone planning on going to that elevated hwy 97 display at the library on the 14th? It really does sound like a great idea for the long term. I have to imagine that such an undertaking would likely be brushed aside by the ministry of transportation and by the city of Kelowna due to cost alone.
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Post by Matt Phillips on Jun 11, 2005 1:59:01 GMT -5
what time is it at? i have school on tuesday but i would like to see it
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jared
New Member
Posts: 28
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Post by jared on Jun 11, 2005 19:35:49 GMT -5
It says that it's on display from 2pm - 7pm on tuesday the 14th at the Okanagan regional library. i'll probably drop by to have a quick gander at it.
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Post by Matt Phillips on Jun 12, 2005 10:46:09 GMT -5
me too
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