City Calls For Highway Upgrades

Written by Peter McIntyre Wednesday, 27 November 2013 06:00

Vernon council will be asking the province to consider upgrades to the highway through the city. That route is the Transportation Ministry's responsibility. Councillor Juliette Cunningham says council would like left turn arrows at 39th and 32nd avenues. "It would just make sense to have some key intersections where you had advance turns both north and south. We're particularly concerned about 39th Avenue because of the relocation of the tourism information booth near the Civic Arena," says Cunningham. Councillor Mary Jo O'Keefe is suggesting new signs to let north-bound drivers know where to turn-off to the Vernon Lodge. "The loss of walk-in traffic at the Best Western Vernon Lodge is ten rooms a night on average since that went in. You can no longer turn left into that, and you can't turn left until 43rd Avenue," says O'Keefe who says the hotel is losing about $1,000 a night in potential business. Vernon Mayor Rob Sawatzky says it's disapointing the BC government doesn't move quicker to improve the highway through the city. "Each business would say their (need) is the most pressing (but) blocking left hand turns in a new manner is always the most distressing for business because it does not give a business time to adapt," says Sawatzky.