A second bridge over Okanagan Lake and a freeway alternative along Kelownasa国际传媒檚 north end are unlikely according to city planners and unnecessary according to some city councillors.

City staff described the project as sa国际传媒減rohibitively expensive,sa国际传媒� after an over-$300 million jump in price since initial plans in 2007. The project would now likely cost sa国际传媒渨ell in excesssa国际传媒� of $1 billion.

sa国际传媒淚n terms of cost-benefit analysis; itsa国际传媒檚 proven to be difficult,sa国际传媒� said Rafael Villarreal, the citysa国际传媒檚 integrated transportation department manager, while presenting a report to council on Monday.

sa国际传媒淭o make sense, it has to be a full freeway or itsa国际传媒檚 not of enough benefit. Itsa国际传媒檚 difficult to say the concept is dead, but the reality is, we donsa国际传媒檛 know when itsa国际传媒檚 going to happen. Isa国际传媒檓 not even sure if itsa国际传媒檚 within 20 or 25 years.sa国际传媒�

READ MORE: Minster says Highway 97 study is on hold

READ MORE: Second bridge across Okanagan Lake sa国际传媒榰nlikelysa国际传媒� because of $1 billion price tag

The historic vision of the Highway 33 extension plan was coined as a Highway 97 alternative, connecting UBCO on the east end of the city to a second bridge over the lake to West Kelowna by a highspeed freeway, but that plan now looks doubtful due to inflated costs.

Instead, an incremental approach is being sought by city staff.

The revised plans indicate it may be more realistic to build an arterial roadway connecting Clement Avenue to McCurdy Road instead of the high-speed freeway with interchanges that was initially envisioned in the first plan. Clement Avenue currently ends at Spall Road.

The proposed road would run parallel to the Rail Trail, which was recently completed by the city. If the plan moves forward the city would have to relocate its bus facility.

The scope of work includes a four-lane connection between Spall Road and Highway 33, with at-grade intersections at Spall, Dilworth, and Enterprise. The most recent cost estimate for theis work is $57 million.

Councillors largely dismissed the second crossing but commended the staffsa国际传媒檚 work on seeking a less drastic approach.

sa国际传媒淎n incremental approach from Spall to Dilworth sa国际传媒� Highway 33 if wesa国际传媒檙e lucky sa国际传媒� would be a useful road that will help overall,sa国际传媒� said Coun. Luke Stack.

sa国际传媒淚 like the incremental approach to moving this forward and I think wesa国际传媒檙e on the right path.sa国际传媒�

Despite the fact that she hasnsa国际传媒檛 dismissed a second bridge for the future, Coun. Gail Given said she sees sa国际传媒済reat wisdomsa国际传媒� in staff investigating the extension as an arterial roadway rather than a freeway.

sa国际传媒淲hile we havensa国际传媒檛 totally written off the second crossing, the evidence points in a different direction,sa国际传媒� she said.

sa国际传媒�(This plan) is going to provide the best benefit to our community in the shorter term.sa国际传媒�

She did, however, ask staff to consider the potential future development in their land acquisitions.

sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 nothing worse than having a highway corridor thatsa国际传媒檚 constrained with a building immediately on either side and you have no options into the future. As we do our land acquisition, we should plan for a much broader corridor. One that would support transit into the future or that would support a freeway into the future.sa国际传媒�

A sa国际传媒渂ridge to nowheresa国际传媒� is how Coun. Charlie Hodge described the second crossing.

sa国际传媒淏uilding a second crossing in my mind makes no sense,sa国际传媒� said Coun. Charlie Hodge.

Hodge expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the project, citing that the newly proposed plans cross two wetlands.

sa国际传媒淭his road goes right through wetlands. What does the Ministry of Environment have to say about that?sa国际传媒� he asked.

Villarreal said the area between Spall and Highway 33 is a very complicated site from an environmental perspective.

sa国际传媒淲hen the first designs were done in 2008, the regulation wasnsa国际传媒檛 as complicated as it is today,sa国际传媒� he said.

sa国际传媒淲e are going to make sure that there is enough mitigation. The ministry is going to have to tell us what we need.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 part of why this road is expensive. If wesa国际传媒檙e going to build it, we have to make sure we comply with all the environmental regulations.sa国际传媒�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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