UPDATE JAN. 5 4:42 P.M. –
The following updates are for Vernon Transit routes following the recent heavy snowfall:
Route 1 Coldstream
Missing 11th St and Sarsons Road—travelling from the terminus up Highway 6 to Aberdeen Road and continuing from there. The bus is not turning onto McClounie Loop, but is staying on Kalamalka Lake Rd.
Route 2 Pleasant Valley
Not travelling up Centennial Drive or 29th Street until open to two-way traffic.
Route 3 Alexis Park
Complete route, as long as 29th St is open to two-lane traffic. Since Village Green Centre has closed for the day, buses will be routed past the Mall.
Route 4
Cancelled service on this route as cars parked in driving lanes are causing traffic conflictions and hills may be unsuitable for driving.
Route 5 South Vernon
Route travelling up to Mission Hill on Okanagan Avenue not included in route at this time.
Route 6 College
Route along 15th Avenue is bypassed at this time. College service is suspended until further notice.
Route 7 and 8
Buses will not be going up Bella Vista or Allenby roads but will stay on 27th and Tronson Road.
Route 90
Buses cannot get into Oyama or the Okanagan College Campus in Vernon.
Route 60
Buses travelling on highway only, stopping at Petro-Can in Armstrong and City Hall in Enderby.
Route 61
Buses travelling along the highway only with no service to Whitevale Rd or Lavington area off highway.
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UPDATE JAN. 5 1:10 P.M. – B.C. Transit in Vernon is operating again following a heavy snowfall that prevented operations earlier Monday.
However, some routes have been altered to avoid hills. Transit drivers will stick to the normal weekday schedule as much as is possible under the conditions.
1 – Coldstream – not going up 11th Avenue – will stay on Highway 6 between Kalamalka Lake Road and Sarsons Road.
2 – Pleasant Valley – Not travelling along Centennial Drive – will stay on 35th Street.
3 – Alexis Park – Normal route.
4 – East Hill – Normal route.
5 – South Vernon – Not travelling on 21st Avenue, 17th Avenue and 35th Street – Will stay on Okanagan Avenue.
6 – College – Normal route.
7 – Okanagan Landing – Not travelling along Allenby Way or Heritage Drive – will stay on 27th Avenue.
8 – Bella Vista – Not travelling on Bella Vista Road – will stay on 27th Avenue and Tronson Road.
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The snow storm passing through the region has brought public transit to a halt.
B.C. Transit has let the City of Vernon know that due to snow and icy conditions, it is not able to operate in Vernon and the North Okanagan today. The only exception is Route 90.
Meanwhile the winter storm warming remains in effect for the entire Okanagan.
“An intense winter storm brought heavy snow to the interior yesterday and last night. A break in the snow is expected early this morning before the next Pacific system deposits a further five to 15 centimetres later today,” according to Environment Canada.
Motorists are advised to consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve.
Snow is forecast to change to ice pellets before morning, with snow and ice pellets amounting to five centimetres.
Tuesday shows periods of ice pellets ending in the morning then cloudy with temperatures steady near zero.
