West Kelowna overpass, retaining wall has collapsed.

[dsldriver]

This shows you what happens when governments try and save money by hiring the person, or company that will do the work for the least amount of money. That company then increases its profits by cutting corners, and we see the results with the overpass that is still technically under construction.

Cmon BC cough up the cash.

[butcher99]

An overpass has collapsed?!?! On top of any cars?

Actually, a retaining wall under an overpass has collapsed. But the media, in an effort to sensationalize as much as possible, is talking about an "overpass collapse". Good journalism has went.

First thing about criticizing someone's comment headline is to make sure you make no mistakes.

Good journalism has went?

[butcher99]

It looks like ABSOLUTELY no person or organization is immune from negative comment from the critical eye of GD. I have to wonder if this poster has ever made a mistake or been less than 100% on anything. Obviously something went wrong here, but why wouldn't it be prudent to wait until they find out why it failed before condemning the construction outfit as being child like.

I was just shocked that GD didn't lay the blame for this on the RCMP somehow!!

I have been waiting for the usual suspects to blame it on the NDP

[grumpydigger]

Don't worry, all the people that are responsible will be running around trying to cover their BUTTS.

It doesn't matter what the problem is.

It's about those people being accountable...........Why do people have such a hard time trying to understand that

[watchd0g]

I have been waiting for the usual suspects to blame it on the NDP

It was Gordon Campbells fault!!

The backup is officially into Kelowna.

[Cumungala]

well part of the problem with traffic is that damn bridge, and this just adds to it, im no bridge builder, but i cant see why it had to be a floating bridge , i was hoping it would have been a span type bridge say like the alex fraser and got rid that dumb corner on the westbank side , part way up the hill

Our bridge is a floating bridge because of the silty lake bottom. Building a fixed bridge would be super expensive.

I feel bad for people driving near the interchange. I think the whole structure needs to be looked at. A retaining wall collapsing on an overpass that's only a few weeks old is NOT normal.

[the truth]

wow
41 million and the thing is all ready falling apart

[cocainekilleddisco]

Yay Ledcor Construction. If you ever want a crappy job done, hire them.

Nobody should be driving under that thing! Either direction. The structural integrity of something like this relies on all the components. The whole thing could keel over, not just the north lane. The engineers should red flag the whole overpass.

[hvacguy]

well part of the problem with traffic is that damn bridge, and this just adds to it, im no bridge builder, but i cant see why it had to be a floating bridge , i was hoping it would have been a span type bridge say like the alex fraser and got rid that dumb corner on the westbank side , part way up the hill

I don't understand how you think the bridge is the problem with traffic. if you drive it every day you will know that traffic problems now are due to traffic once you get into Kelowna and the construction that has been going on at the interchange project .

[blondewithbrains]

My son is on the way to my house on the Westside....he called me at 3:00 saying he was backed up at Abbott and the highway...called me again at 3:35 he was at Campbell Rd interchange and I hadnt made it up bridge hill yet and he said it was reallyyyy slow going...he expected to be at least another hour before he gets anywhere near Boucherie Rd....

Cant wait to see how it will be with the rush hour traffic....*GROAN*

[Urbane]

My son is on the way to my house on the Westside....he called me at 3:00 saying he was backed up at Abbott and the highway...called me again at 3:35 he was at Campbell Rd interchange and I hadnt made it up bridge hill yet and he said it was reallyyyy slow going...he expected to be at least another hour before he gets anywhere near Boucherie Rd....

Cant wait to see how it will be with the rush hour traffic....*GROAN*

Looking at the pictures makes me think there is no quick fix to this problem so hopefully there's a Plan B to to move traffic faster than it's moving today.

[watchd0g]

I can't see past Pandosy on the cameras. Anyone know how far back it is going?

[lizhinton]

I just fired off the following letter to Catanet's complaints department... not that they will care, but it was nice to get it off my chest...

I am writing in regards to what I frankly feel is your irresponsible and reckless coverage of the situation involving the Westside Road overpass today.

My husband drove through the affected area this morning. A few hours later, I awoke, turned on my computer, and was met with a red bulletin on your news page reading (paraphrased) “The New West Kelowna Overpass has collapsed into the northeast lane of Hyw 97. Police are at the scene and are directing traffic around the exit lanes.” After some initial shock, trying to reach my husband and attempting to obtain further information, I received a message from a friend who’s husband was driving through the area that no, in fact the overpass was still very much intact. It had not collapsed, and in fact the “collapse” involved small portion of a retaining wall.

As the day has gone on, it is clear to anyone with two eyes and a brain that the overpass has not collapsed. Your own pictures clearly show a small affected part of retaining wall and a pile of dirt and rocks that extend, at most, a few feet into the right-most driving lane. Yet, despite finally changing that alarmist first bulletin, you continue to carry the headline “OVERPASS COLLAPSES.” The fact that the smaller print of the subsequent articles explains the truth of the situation does not make up for what is clearly histrionic journalism, which only succeeds to makes you look stupid and undermine your credibility.

The next time you cry wolf I won’t be there to hear you because I will no longer use Castanet, as it is clear that in terms of relevant, accurate, nonsensational news I might as well be using the National Enquirer.

[Imreal]

As of 5:12 nothing is moving on the bridge or on the hill. I just got a live report from a friend at Roses pub.

The good news is that he did well at the fishing derby.

[rookie314]

You have to remember the media has to excite you lest you change the channel or go surf somewhere else. I have learned when it comes to the media, half of what they tell us is not true, the rest they make up so you won't turn the channel. Shut it all off and you will find very little in your life is affected by the stuff the media blows all out of proportion.