Posted Dec 19, 2014, 8:19 AM
|
|
Registered User
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 661
|
|
Another successful road project completed in West Kelowna. I am glad to have an alternative to Hwy 97 be available. I remember before the current bridge opening up and commuting from Westbank to East Kelowna. I'd head up Westlake road and go through the hillside developments and reconnect at Westside road just to avoid 97 backups. That never got me to the bridge though. Now there are alternative routes all along the westside to the bridge. Great!
WFN seem very confident regarding a couple of upgrades on 97 at Boucherie and Hudson. Also mentioned the first of its kind in Canada, private hospital.
Article care of Castanet.net
Sneena Road overpass opens
by Wayne Moore | Story: 129096 - Dec 17, 2014 / 2:50 pm
A new roadway which connects WFN lands on each side of Highway 97 and also connects Lakeview Heights with Casa Loma and The William R Bennett Bridge officially opened Wednesday morning.
Westbank First Nation Chief Robert Louie says the $9.3M project, which began in the spring, concludes a commitment made years ago between the province and Westbank First Nation.
It's the third Highway 97 improvement project funded by the province and managed by WFN.
"What the underpass does is fulfills a commitment negotiated many years ago with the province of British Columbia," says WFN Chief, Robert Louie.
"We have to have access to lands on both sides of the highway so, while this can be used as an emergency purpose for travellers going south from Kelowna, the purpose of it is to allow access to the WFN lands on the northern portion of Highway 97."
Louie admits there are development plans on Locatee lands between the highway and Okanagan Lake which the underpass would access.
There are also possible development opportunities on the opposite side of the highway including a proposed medical centre.
"That is something that will be an accessibility to that facility when it is built," says Louie.
"That's still a few years away and that's something that is going to take more involvement from our community members."
The new roadway links off Tomat Avenue near Boucherie Road, goes behind the new shopping centre and the WFN Band offices, runs along the highway and connects with either the underpass or the Campbell Road interchange taking motorists to Casa Loma or Kelowna.
Louie says it will serve as an alternate route for emergency vehicles, and in case of accidents.
"Having this road will be a benefit and will be proven to be a benefit when accidents happen and emergency vehicles have to use it."
I believe too, it will relieve some of the congestion. Even if we have 200, 300 or 400 cars per day, that's still cars off Highway 97 and that has to be a benefit to the travelling public as well."
Along with the $9.3M the province paid for the project, WFN also kicked in about $700,000 for streetlighting, sidewalks and landscaping.
Next is an expected interchange and underpass at Boucherie Road which Louie says was also part of the negotiated deal with the province some years ago.
"I don't believe the province has made a final determination yet (in terms of timing). Yes, there are discussions happening and I am hopeful sooner than later, but time will tell. That will be up to the province," says Louie.
"I believe all of the accesses need work -- some more than others. Hudson Road is certainly a congested area and I know that it is a topic the province is well involved with. The District of West Kelowna is involved with that as well."
According to Mike Jacobs with Emil Anderson Construction, the company that worked on the project, nearly 6,500 labour hours went to WFN members, more than four times what was originally committed.
|
Prev
Linear Mode
