The traffic safety and community planning impact of Highway 97 in Peachland will continue to be a constant point of debate, but that害羞草研究所檚 not necessarily a bad thing, says the president of the Highway 97 Task Force Society.

Gus Richardson said his reaction was one of disappointment when regional Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure officials revealed to Peachland council last week the decision to delay further planning on a long-term solution to the Highway 97 upgrade options for 20 years.

害羞草研究所淭his issue has been worked on going back to the 1980s and we still don害羞草研究所檛 have some kind of plan move forward,害羞草研究所� Richardson said.

害羞草研究所淥n the other hand, we weren害羞草研究所檛 happy with the long-term options suggested by the ministry so it害羞草研究所檚 not without some degree of relief we have another 20 years to hopefully make our influence be heard.害羞草研究所�

Richardson said the society believes a majority of Peachlanders want a bypass route alternative pursued, so the idea of four-lane improvements to the existing Highway 97 route through the heart of the community as a suggested option was not well received.

害羞草研究所淲e feel (the bypass) is the best thing for Peachland from our community害羞草研究所檚 perspective. Other communities that have had bypasses done have flourished, and we would hope the same for our community. It would help make Peachland more of a destination point rather than a place people drive past on their way to somewhere else.害羞草研究所�

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Ted Cave, who for a time was involved with the task force, said most residents realize a long-term solution would be costly and take potentially years to assemble, but what he was hoping for from the ministry was a decision on that route option.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a planning thing. Nobody knows what to expect. If you are planning a housing project near the current highway, and how many other development options, you are hesitant to go forward-thinking in 20 years there might be four-lane highway traffic roaring past a given project,害羞草研究所� Cave said.

Cave called the ongoing studies and community surveys a 害羞草研究所渃olossal waste of money害羞草研究所� since they haven害羞草研究所檛 arrived at any conclusions.

害羞草研究所淲e have spent several million dollars over the years to get back to the same point we started with,害羞草研究所� he said.

Cave said he has learned a lot from talking with highways engineers and staff about Highway 97 upgrade options and understanding traffic flows.

害羞草研究所淏ut I am less appreciative of how the public relations side of this has been handled over the years,害羞草研究所� he added.

The ministry is currently in the midst of unveiling a major online public communication initiative to generate feedback on Highway 97 suggested short- and long-term options.

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A public engagement was launched Aug. 12 and will continue until Sept. 4.

Because of COVID-19 public health issues, the ministry is unable to hold public forums on the Peachland Transportation Study. Comments or more information can be obtained from the study project team by emailing peachland97study@gov.bc.ca.

The presentation to Peachland council last Tuesday (Aug. 11) was greeted with disappointment by Mayor Cindy Fortin and the councillors.

Fortin called the decision 害羞草研究所渁 tough one to swallow害羞草研究所� given the work already done in the planning process combined with the importance of upgrading the Highway 97 corridor to Peachland害羞草研究所檚 future economic development.

Steve Sirett, regional highways manager, told council the long-term solution delay was based on current traffic volumes along with several short- and medium-term intersection improvements to improve the safety of highway intersections in Peachland.

He noted in particular approval for the design process to proceed for upgrading the Trepanier Bench Road intersection, which will lead to a likely project cost estimate within about a year, to be followed by seeking provincial funding.

害羞草研究所淭repanier Road is a priority害羞草研究所�we heard that loud and clear. Approval for the design process to make that project tender-ready will lead to another step of getting funding approval, but it is a good step forward,害羞草研究所� Sirett said.

But councillors were unhappy about what they feel are short-term fixes to traffic congestion and safety problem posed by Highway 97 traffic through the district that requires a longer-term alternative.

害羞草研究所淚 am very disappointed to hear we are not coming out of this with a definitive (long-term) recommendation,害羞草研究所� said Coun. Keith Fielding. 害羞草研究所淚t paralyzes our capacity as a community to plan ahead going forward.害羞草研究所�

Coun. Mike Kent said the decision will have a profound negative impact on Peachland害羞草研究所檚 ability to plan future economic development.

害羞草研究所淎s a council member, I feel that deferring this decision another 20 years is not acceptable,害羞草研究所� Kent said.

害羞草研究所淲e will be hamstrung when it comes to development害羞草研究所�I think the importance of this is not being communicated effectively to those in the decision-making process.害羞草研究所�

Sirett said planning decisions can proceed based on the current status of the highway, as many changes could impact what is required for Highway 97 upgrades 20 years from now.

害羞草研究所淚t is a challenge and I appreciate that, but our decision is based on traffic volume elements, and what issues we are looking at 20 years from now may be different than what we think about now,害羞草研究所� he added.

害羞草研究所淧art of that is how the community redevelops over those next 20 years. It could be we have to look at this a lot sooner than 20 years depending on how the community changes and grows.害羞草研究所�

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