Monday, June 14, 2010

Intersection Upgrade Delayed

Fruit Union IntersecrionA major upgrade to one of Vernon's busiest intersections has been put off until next year. The BC Transportation Ministry had planned to add dual left turn lanes at the Highways 6 and 97 Fruit Union Plaza intersection this summer. Project manager Reid Drummond says there's been some delays in the design work, and in land acquisitions. "We're now scheduled to complete the design at the end of summer or early fall which gets us into a tight timeline to complete construction this fall, so we're now anticipating starting construction early spring next year." Drummond says general design complexities led to the delay. "Working with the commercial properties that are adjacent to that intersection and trying to get designs that work to minimize the impacts to them." He says starting in the spring will make it easier on traffic. "We are already looking at different ways at minimizing (traffic disruptions) if we we're constructing it in the summer, but this will definitely help us out. There's a lot less overall traffic volume and tourist traffic is lower as well." The upgrade will cost 5 million dollars, which is cost shared with the federal and provincial governments.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Won't this be too late to use the infrastructure funds? Note the concerns as far as commercial property-but no concerns by anyone as far as the effect on Polson Park.

Kalwest said...

Perhaps it is time for everyone to revisit a Bypass route.

In the late 50' and early 60's the Dept. of Highways survey department completed a bypass route, why has this never been instituted?