Kelowna councillor says planned new overpass isn't as accessible as it should be

Photo: City of Kelowna

Kelowna can do better.

That's a drum Kelowna city councillor Charlie Hodge has been beating for several years concerning the look of certain development projects and the lack of green space in others.

His latest concern is accessibility for people of all abilities to the new overpass which will link the Central Green development with downtown.

"I am disappointed that the new (overpass) will not be accessible for people with disabilities such as people in wheelchairs," said Hodge who himself uses a wheelchair at times due to ongoing health issues.

"We have spent years, and proudly so, designing some of the best world class bicycle routes throughout our town. We have spent unlimited amounts of money for accessibility issues, for bicycles, pathways, roadways."

The problem is the grade of the slope leading up to the overpass.

Infrastructure delivery manager Brian Beach says the overpass to the Parkinson Rec Centre and the design for the new one, have been designed to minimum international mobility standards, which is an 8.3 per cent slope.

Required rest areas after so many feet of slope have also been built in.

"I understand completely the minimum standards are not ideal. An ideal standard is about a five per cent slope," Beach told Castanet News.

"But, in circumstances like this, it's difficult to do much better. We're using every inch of space we can, extending the ramps. We're stretched all the way to Leon on the north side."

The overpass will cross Harvey Avenue at Bertram Street, and connect to the top of a parkade within the Central Green site.

That parkade will have lift access, making it easy for those in wheelchairs, or with mobility issues to easily get up and down.

"Here is a perfect project where, at one end, there is already a lift to the top of a parkade, but at the other end, simply a lift or something could have made it accessible to all in our community," said Hodge.

"I recognize it is a beautiful design...but it ignores those people that can't get across that road without their wheelchairs.

"A bit of planning the next time we design something like this where we truly put the interest of those who are disadvantaged to have an equal opportunity to at least cross a major highway on something like this."

The $5.5 million overpass was a condition imposed by the Ministry of Transportation once Central Green hit a certain unit threshold.

Beach also concedes the reason there are not more of these types of overpasses across the highway is a lack of use.

He says people are reluctant to use them because of the extra effort required. The street-level crosswalks at Richter and Ellis will also remain.

It's expected construction will begin later this year at an offsite location adjacent to the former McDonalds location on Harvey.

The overpass is expected to take about a year to construct.