Bypass in Peachland, a good idea?

[Ken7]

Yes do it....less lights to go through at 100km hour is best...should be four lane 100 km from osoyoos all the way to vernon...

Just went on the bypass in Winfield to oyama....AWESOME....way better and faster...

This is interesting. They put the bypass up as the old road was unsafe. How long with it be before there is a highway accident and a death due to speed?

I'm going to say less then six months. It's not the road, it's the loose nut behind the wheel.

[matai]

So far the poll is pretty tight, 10 yes for 9 no.

[Wave101]

I am against the bypass. If you do the math with google maps, it will take approximately 10 minutes to take the bypass around Peachland. It would also take approximately 10 minutes to just drive through Peachland so there really is not much incentive to drive up a dangerous mountain pass just to get around a few traffic lights.

The road through Peachland should be built to four lanes with planning and enough land put aside to put in a couple of overpasses/underpasses for local roads to make the road free flowing in the future as needed. The bypass idea is a huge waste of money and time.

If anyone has driven the sea to sky highway they would have passed an area called Lions Bay which is very similar to Peachland in its location to water. That area is how the highway through Peachland should be designed.

[LoneWolf_53]

Not justifiable given the current population, not to mention more pressing priorities that could use funding.

[VCL]

I have looked at the route proposed by the Upper Route Bypass group.....great it runs right thru my #$$%&^$^^%& house. I bought up there to own some property away from the mainstream Peachland. The route is longer and more expensive than improving the lower existing route. There are some people involved in the Upper bypass Group that were vehemently opposed to the Ponderosa Golf development because it interfered with the winter feeding area for deer and moose. ......I hunt in the area they propose to put that upper route and I might just be stupid but as far as I can see there are a hell of a lot more animals that will be displaced on this route than the golf course development will affect. Just my two cents.

[watchkat]

The highways department always planned on four laning through Peachland. Back in the late 80's or so they even made sure the area from Trepanier Creek to the bottom of Drought hill had wider highway shoulder land and the large bare piece at the north end of Buchanan was purchased and reserved specifically for that purpose.

You would have to ask the Dodd's what the status is on the property between Todd Road and the south end of Buchanan. At one point there were discussions with the highway about that currently "vacant" wide shoulder area which I believe they owned or still own.

In terms of four laning it would be much less costly to continue the existing highway and make it four lanes. The municipality has approved the Monaco development and they will be screaming for improved road access to Peachland in future and "we" are going to be paying for those improvements probably as a municipal road if the bypass is approved. If that is the case, anyone care to pay the cost of repaving, repairing and snow removal of approx. 10km of highway? I remember when the province and Peachland worked out the "giving" of Princeton Avenue to Peachland.......we still have a crappy road and it is about 25 to 30 years since we took possession. Seems council of the day didn't get the road upgraded before we took possession back then and we are still awaiting many upgrades. Imagine what will happen after a bypass.

Perhaps we need someone like Ron Derrickson to negotiate for us. He did the trading of highway space on the reserve for the four laning original deals. That is how all those created, paved and lighted side roads came into being. A lot smarter than most would give him credit. He did some great tradeoffs.

Four laning won't change the highway all that much,,,,,,,,perhaps another couple of motion activated lights north of Trepanier Creek, but really no worse than the highway through Summerland.

OH, the voting at the top doesn't seem to have a button to vote anymore or am I missing something?

[Cumungala]

I can't see the need for a bypass around Peachland. That would cost a fortune and would involve a steep hill to climb the side of the mountain. The current alignment could easily be expanded to 4 lanes if it was planned right. I don't think there's any big rush for this to happen though.

Also, the two new signalized intersections by the shopping centre should be consolidated into one big intersection. There's no point having two lights in very close proximity to each other.

[johnhenry]

Careful what you wish for.
Just ask Gatzke Farms in Lake Country how the new Oyama by pass affected their business.

[ehlersroadecho]

Peachland needs something to attract all of the newcomers, because of the expansion of the Golf Course and the Monaco developments, which are set to be completed in 15 to 20 years??? maybe? But, we have the shopping centre on Highway 97, if they put a bypass overtop towards the connector, it will completely shut down all of those businesses including the IGA market. I think what we must be concerned is our water supply, if it holds enough to accommodate all of these developments!!! ????

[ehlersroadecho]

Yes agreed that the lights in Peachland are close together, but they do improve (especially the one at IGA), if you remember a resident was killed in December 2011, because of no light.... it's crazy!

[southernfrau]

I bought up here also for the quiet and the last thing I want is a highway running behind me on the hillside. I am right at the edge of the municipal boundary...keep the highway downtown where it belongs.

[mandmgirl]

Marketplace IGA will close if a bypass goes through? Is that due to all the road kill on the new bypass providing food for the residents of Peachland?

[nikonfan]

The bypass will never happen. It is a pie in the sky dream but the bad thing as long as there are these people pushing for this colossal waste of money the MOT can sit on their collective butts and do nothing to get onto the four lanes that are needed.

[Glacier]

Marketplace IGA will close if a bypass goes through? Is that due to all the road kill on the new bypass providing food for the residents of Peachland?

It's fear-mongering at its best. IGA mostly serves the local population. The funny thing about some people who complain about a bypass vis-à-vis local businesses is that they were in favour of the Okanagan connector being built even though it bypasses businesses in Princeton and Keremeos. Even funnier is that these same people wanted to the Aspen Grove to Merritt section to bypass Merritt all together.

[Steve-O]

Marketplace IGA will close if a bypass goes through? Is that due to all the road kill on the new bypass providing food for the residents of Peachland?

I recall a stat from a few years back that showed a very small percentage of vehicles travelling though Peachland actually stopped in Peachland. The theory was this stat showed that a bypass would have little impact on Peachlands economy. Ya I know, someones pointed out that Gatzke's Market has been hurt by that bypass. I'm just sharing a little info passed on to me a few years ago.