Photo: Ted Duck

July 17 along Highway 97 south of Peachland showing cars backed up during the wildfire.

Despite ongoing closures and lengthy wait times on Highway 97 between the South Okanagan and Kelowna, the Ministry of Transportation remains firm that it is not looking at adding another paved route for the Okanagan.

Local MLAs have long been asking for the ministry to add safety improvements to the highway and upgrade the 201 Forest Service Road connecting the east side of Penticton to Kelowna as a usable emergency route.

While improvements were made to the 201 Forest Service Road at the start of the Highway 97 closure last fall due to the rockslide north of Summerland, with the ministry saying it would be maintained as a viable route, some are still cautious about using it, since it is not paved and is an active logging road.

Last week, Highway 97 was closed in both directions at the site of a wildfire south of Peachland. Travellers were advised to detour using Highway 97C to Highway 5A, or Highway 33 to Highway 3, which adds a few hours onto their travel.

When it reopened later to single-lane alternating traffic, drivers reported hour long waits to get through. This continued even when the highway had reopened to two-way traffic.

The ministry said they recognize "that closures along Highway 97 are extremely challenging for residents, businesses and travellers."

"The ministry worked closely with the BC Wildfire Service to have a lane opened on Highway 97 as quickly as possible, while ensuring that BCWS had the access needed to perform critical firefighting activities," MoTI said in an emailed statement.

Penticton-Peachland MLA Dan Ashton said it's easy to see, on a continual basis, that the singular route going to the Okanagan Valley south of Kelowna to Penticton is long overdue for a secondary route.

"As the municipalities throughout this area, from Penticton to Kelowna, counting Summerland, Peachland and West Kelowna, get busier and busier, there is a definite need for something close by," he added.

"I fully understand that there isn't a good secondary alternative within the confines of the Okanagan Valley, the 201, being the best alternative route at this time."

Ashton noted that the 201 is usable and all it takes is ongoing maintenance and additional signage to ensure that the public can travel at a safe pace along it.

"There are other routes behind Peachland that are a lot more difficult at this point in time, because once you get into Summerland, you're confined to rural roads. The 201 has good access, is a good road in places, and they're just going to have to keep it up on a continual basis in case shutdowns occur."

The Ministry of Transportation also said that the 201 Forest Service Road is administered by the Ministry of Forests, in an answer to Castanet's question as to whether the road is still being maintained and if there are any plans to upgrade it further.

Photo: Brian Lehman

Part of the crash scene that has closed Highway 97 near Peachland in May 2024