Bridge Construction

[westisbest]

I live on the Westside and work in Kelowna 5 days a week including some Saturdays. Recently traffic on the way to work in the morning has been terrible. I have been late for work a few times becasue of the construction on the bridge! I know that this has to be done get the work on the bridge complete and improve the traffic in the future. I think to help the commuters from Westbank and Peachland the company doing the construction on the bridge should inform the people of what they will be doing so we can adjust our time of leaving to get to work on time! If the company told Castanet and the local radio and news it would allow people to know the right time to leave their homes in order to make the drive and get to work on time. I honestly dont think it would be a hard thing to do and I am sure the local radio and news and Castanet would be happy to inform the commuters to make their already long drive in to work a little easier in the morning.

[Nebula]

Or, you could just realize SNC Lavalin is working all out to finish the project by May 25, which will screw things up for the next month, and you should leave early every morning.

Given the project scope and size and that you've driven through it many times already, do you really need someone to tell you on the radio every morning that traffic is screwed up and you should leave earlier than normal?

[LoneWolf_53]

Welcome to the forums.

I can't locate it off hand but I believe there was a news story about the work involving Bridge Hill within the last couple of weeks.

I did find a listing of roadwork projects which had a phone number at the bottom for people to get more information so perhaps you might find that useful.

469-8600, select option 1.

[Darren Schlamp]

Or, you could just realize SNC Lavalin is working all out to finish the project by May 25, which will screw things up for the next month, and you should leave early every morning.

SNC has nothing to do with the west approach works from Campbell Road up to Westside Road. That work is being completed by Westbank First Nation, with Emil Anderson as the contractor.

The overpass and climbing lane work is almost complete. I recall reading in one of the newspapers that a grand opening was planned for the interchange in early May, but I can't find anything online to confirm that. Paving (base course and surface course) appears to be almost finished above the overpass except for a few small areas, and the landscaping is underway.

Traffic will likely remain slightly screwed up for a few weeks even after the bridge opening, as I recall from another article that only westbound traffic will go onto the new bridge for the first little while, until the approach works are completed between the overpass and the bridge. They need to move the westbound traffic over to the new bridge to have enough space to change the grade and finish paving between the overpass and the new bridge.

[Nebula]

You are correct, Darren.

[eyepop]

You are correct, Darren.

loosely translated from..

I was wrong, Darren.

[westisbest]

I have been leaving home earlier everyday and some days I am way to early while others I am late so it is not the same every day! It would be nice for them to contact Castanet to let them know what the plans are so people can read and adjust so I dont end up leaving a half an hour early and getting to work too early or late. Thank you for the info on the phone numbers I will try that out to make my drive a little better!

[westisbest]

Or, you could just realize SNC Lavalin is working all out to finish the project by May 25, which will screw things up for the next month, and you should leave early every morning.

Given the project scope and size and that you've driven through it many times already, do you really need someone to tell you on the radio every morning that traffic is screwed up and you should leave earlier than normal?

If you dont have anything nice to say... you know the rest.
I dont spend my time doing a lot of research on the bridge project but I do watch the news and read Castanet and I thought I would give my solution to the problem with traffic. Sorry if I bursted your bubble. And FYI it is not the same every day so I still think it would be very helpfull.

[Nebula]

You are right, M&F. That did come off sounding rather nasty. I hereby promise I will drink a full cup of coffee in the morning before posting. My apologies.

By the way, welcome to the forum.

[FreeRights]

I, too, work in Kelowna every day and I commute from the Westside. But I've never been late for work. I just leave early, and sure, I arrive early, but I'm never late.

[flamingfingers]

I, too, work in Kelowna every day and I commute from the Westside. But I've never been late for work. I just leave early, and sure, I arrive early, but I'm never late.

All boils down to time management. I have commuted from Peachland to Vernon. Daily. Never been late. If I am early, that is a bonus. Gave me time to have an extra coffee, yak if I wanted.

[BoB76]

I don't feel sorry for people being late for work especially when they live on the Westside. However if your city had given some money to the bridge celebration and weren't so damn cheap then I would feel a bit different about it. No cake and balloon money = no morning report on Castanet!!

[rioghnacha]

Thank you BoB76 for reminding everyone that we must continue with the us and them mentality. We must practice constant vigilance when it comes to the bickering between the two communities, we don't want people to get over it after all.

[parachute]

rioghnacha, you are right on the money!

It is sad that one or two people on the east side of the lake with extremely negative views of their neighbors of the west side of the lake go out of their way to express their distain.

It is sad that one or two people on the west side of the lake with extremely negative views of their neighbors of the east side of the lake go out of their way to express their distain.

In my view it is also sad that the great silent majority of us do not take the time or effort to do what rioghnacha has tried to do ---- call every one of those negative thinkers to task!

Finally, sadness REALLY abounds when we fall into the trap of believing that the negative thinkers can not revise their view of the world.

[hereiamagain]

Thank you very much to Darren for posting that info re: the bridge construction. I was under the very naive perception that once the bridge was open that all would flow smoothly. It was a good reminder that this is not the case at all, and to be prepared.

Trying to understand though how this will happen. It was said that the westbound lane will be open on the new bridge - does this mean that both bridges will be in use for about another month or so? Sorry, not really getting a clear picture - I went to the link provided, but it did not say anything about it. Any info on this would be terrific. Thank you!