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Photo credit: City of Kelowna
Your monthly update from Mayor Dyas on Council decisions, City business and more.
As summer comes to a close and our routines begin to reset it becomes even more evident that the well-being of our community goes hand in hand with the quality of the infrastructure that supports our residents. Whether it's getting to work, getting the kids ready to go back to school, or simply enjoying the recreational spaces our city has to offer, reliable and efficient transportation is key to ensuring your day runs smoothly.
Kelowna is growing faster than many of us could have imagined. Our population is rising, new homes are being built, and goods and services are being transported through our networks at an increasing rate, and as a result, traffic volumes in our neighbourhoods are increasing.
Council’s transportation priority encompasses many projects including Major Roads, Major Intersections, Active Transportation, Neighbourhood Streets, and Transit planning. In the past we’ve seen investment in other areas of this priority like active transportation infrastructure, traffic calming and enhanced transit partnerships.
The reality today is that the City has been on a “roadways diet”, while focusing on other forms of transportation, and it is now time to rethink the traditional approach to road infrastructure. We need to look at more innovative ways to accelerate these projects, while keeping costs down and establishing more interconnectivity to ensure that our growing roads network is running as efficient as possible.
As a council, we are committed to act now, invest in our future, and stay ahead of development as our city continues to grow. By rethinking our investment approach to roadway projects today, we can ensure that our costs remain low, while we accelerate them to construction and completion sooner than ever before.
Photo credit: 123RF
Investing in Kelowna's Future
On August 26, 2024, Council reviewed the newly proposed 10-year capital plan, which saw our investments in infrastructure double from $373 million to $726 million, meaning we are well positioned to increase this type of infrastructure delivery in the coming years. To offset taxation and borrowing, we’ve managed to attract and secure more grant funding through targeted advocacy and partnerships with senior levels of government and external agencies. Increased development also results in increased revenue from Development Cost Charges (DCCs), funds that are directly reinvested into our infrastructure, which allow us to take on more projects than ever before.
With that said, when the City receives these funds and grants, we have an obligation to complete the associated projects, regardless of inflationary pressures that may occur. To put it simply, every day and year that goes by that we do not move forward on a project translates to more burden on tax payers to ensure it gets completed.
We are exploring innovative approaches to capital infrastructure delivery like road bundling, which involves bundling several smaller projects together in one large contract. This way we can attract larger contractors, deliver these projects faster and more efficiently, and reduce overhead costs overall.
Strategically, by investing now rather than in the future, we can avoid the inflationary costs that often accompany delays. This direction ensures that we are getting the best possible value out of every dollar we spend on infrastructure today.
Current and Upcoming Projects
Over the next few years, you will notice an increase in construction projects, all aimed at advancing our roads connectivity across Kelowna. Some of these key projects currently underway include:
- the Highway 33 / Clement Extension, which will extend Clement Ave from Spall Road to Hwy 33, Leathead and ultimately connect through to UBC over three phases, creating another connection to YLW and reduce traffic volumes on Highway 97.
- KLO Bridge Extension, which will see a new bridge and and roundabout installed , improving sightlines for drivers and increase active transportation options within the area.
- Major Intersection Improvements at busy locations like Springfield and Dilworth and enhancing our traffic signals and roundabouts program to implement more efficient traffic flow.
- Hwy 97 Beautification, which, starting now, will see over 100 planters placed along medians and boulevards across the Highway 97 artery.
- The Bertram Multi-Use Overpass, which will significantly enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility crossing Highway 97 and will help managed traffic congestion along this busy corridor by decreasing pedestrian crossing volumes at street level.
These projects are about more than just moving people and goods more efficiently. They are about fostering interconnectivity—linking neighborhoods, providing easier access to local businesses and services, enhancing safety and creating a transportation network that works for everyone.
Accelerating Our Investments
To keep up with Kelowna's rapid growth, we’ve introduced the Transportation Accelerator Program (TAP), a strategic initiative designed to speed up the delivery of key transportation projects and strengthen our transportation network. The TAP Program includes several transportation projects that have been identified for early design and delivery, ahead of their original timelines in our 10-Year Capital Plan.
Some of the accelerated projects you can expect to see in the near future include:
- Frost Road Extension: Extending Frost Road from Killdeer to Chute Lake and the construction of a roundabout.
- Burtch Road Extension: Extending Burtch Road from Byrns to KLO, including 1.2 kilometers of arterial road with an Active Transportation Corridor and intersection improvements.
- Hollywood Road Extension: Extending Hollywood Road from John Hindle to Sexsmith.
- Glenmore Road Improvements: Upgrades/widening of Glenmore Road between Union and Snowsell
Staying ahead to meet the Future
As we move forward, our focus will remain on identifying opportunities to accelerate investment in transportation through our 10-Year Capital Plan. Managing traffic in a rapidly growing community like ours is a complex challenge, but it is one that we are fully committed to addressing.
By investing in all forms of transportation today, we are laying the foundation for a more connected, accessible, and sustainable Kelowna. Through these strategic actions we are ensuring that our city remains a great place to live, work, and play for generations to come.
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