Posted on 7/13/2015 by Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM
BC's Transportation Ministry is facing more criticism over its new plan for a dangerous intersection north of Vernon. After an earlier plan was widely panned, the ministry is now proposing a protected T intersection for Highway 97 and Stickle Road, which would allow left turns onto the highway, but does not include a traffic light. There would be a separate left-turn with turn-around access for the Silver Star RV Park area. The idea was presented to Vernon council Monday, and Mayor Akbal Mund says it was unanimously not supported. He says the officials were asked why not a light? "I did myself actually but I didn't get a response back. I even said we should lower the speed limit down to 70 (km-h). If it was 70 from Swan Lake in, there's nothing wrong with that. Our growth area is out that way as we all know," says Mund. The ministry has said a traffic light at that site would slow down highway traffic, cause more rear-end collisions, and increase greenhouse gasses. Councillor Scott Anderson says the new plan is better, but doesn't solve the safety concerns. "Everybody in Vernon overwhelmingly wants traffic lights there and yet the ministry keeps coming up with something different. It's just very hard to get the ministry to see things that way the rest of us do," Anderson tells kiss FM. The ministry's initial idea for no left turns onto the highway was scrapped due to widespread opposition including from MLA Eric Foster. An open house on the new plan is tentatively set for July 30th, which council is also concerned about, given that it's just before a long weekend, and likely to draw fewer people.
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