Forget the Salmon River Bridge – we need to think a little bigger.
As a community we need to begin discussion and planning for a bypass route for the Trans-Canada Highway through or around Salmon Arm. I cannot believe there are still people in this community who want the highway or, as I call it, the “Trans-Canada Trail,” to pass through the downtown area.
This creates major unnecessary congestion in the downtown area. Currently the downtown core is surrounded by the highway on the south side and the railway on the north side, restricting its expansion.
Why do we need to funnel at least 1,300 vehicles through the downtown when these vehicles have no intention of stopping and do not want to stop as they travel through to their destination?
We now have the distinction of having almost twice as many highway traffic lights when travelling through Salmon Arm (eight signal lights out of a total of 19) on the entire major route from the Alberta border to Vancouver. This has to be very frustrating for long-distance travellers.
I have yet to see a city or community in North America lose business because a ring road or bypass route has been built. Examples within our own province such as Chilliwack, Hope and Chase are still thriving after a bypass has been constructed.
Let’s get organized and press some buttons to make this a reality.
Doug Hlina
