Chance to rant on Stickle Rd

Photo: Google Maps

North Okanagan residents will have another opportunity to give their input on the contentious Stickle Road issue.

An open house is planned for July 29 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Prestige Inn.

The open house was originally scheduled for July 30, but because of the long weekend, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure moved the meeting ahead a day.

People will be able to get the details on the latest provincial proposal to address safety concerns at the accident-prone intersection just north of the city, by Swan Lake.

Anyone wanting to make a left-hand turn north or south must navigate double lanes of high-speed traffic.

Businesses and residents in the area have raised concerns about the intersection and the ministry has studied the issue, but the proposals it has put forward have not been well received.

While some want to see a stop light at the intersection – including Mayor Akbal Mund – the ministry refuses.

Its latest proposal is for what is known as a protected-T intersection.

The proposal would allow motorists left turns onto the highway from the east side of Stickle Road, but not from the west, where there's an RV park. There would be a separate left turn with turn-around access for those motorists.

According to the ministry, during the last 10 years there have been three fatal collisions at the intersection, 18 personal injury collisions and 29 collisions that resulted only in property damage.