The B-C NDP questions if enough is being done to improve what it calls one of the most dangerous intersections in the province. Transportation critic Harry Bains visited the Bailey Road-Highway 97 site today along with Predator Ridge resident Bruce Roberts. Bains is pleased to see the Transportation Ministry proceeding with safety upgrades, but he still has questions. "Have they done a thorough analysis and investigation to come up with what is needed to come up with a long term solution to the this problem, so we don't see those accidents again and no one will ever have to go through the pain and suffering the families have already gone through?" Bains says a compression activated red light on Bailey --- or an overpass---- for vehicles turning left onto the highway may be the ultimate solutions, adding the cost should not be an issue. "If it means extra resources, then they need to provide extra resources because the end result should be to prevent accidents, not just to say to the locals, 'You asked for something, we've done something,' but the problem remains here."
Sparkling Hill Resort chief operating officer Jim Radford says the intersection is a concern to resort guests. "Especially those who are from out of town who are heading back towards Vernon. Sometimes they miss the Commonage Road turnoff and they end up at this intersection, and probably the most dangerous turn is the left hand turn back to Vernon. Radford would like to see better signage directing vehicles leaving Predator Ridge and the resort to take Commonage Road. The intersection and the road in the vicinity has seen 75 crashes the last five years according to RCMP, including 16 fatalities since 1968.The most recent victim was Kelowna resident Kim Todd who died June 7th while turning left onto the highway.
Photo: NDP Transportation critic Harry Bains and Sparkling Hill Resort COO Jim Radford near Bailey Road-Highway 97 intersection (P.McIntyre)
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