Transportation improvements aimed at increasing traffic safety within the District again figure prominently on a priority list council members are preparing for meetings with senior government officials this fall.
The Benson Ave. crossing arm project, for which the District has applied for a grant to help finance, the North Nadina crossing and Tweedie Ave. intersection upgrades are up for discussion with provincial cabinet ministers, senior provincial officials and others.
These in-person meetings are usually part of the annual fall Union of B.C. Municipalities convention agenda but with COVID-19, the convention will now be held in a virtual format.
An exact format has yet to be established but more information on how the convention and meetings will be conducted is expected in the next while.
North Nadina Ave., a key access to the industrial area, was once a two-way intersection crossing over the CN Rail mainline and Hwy16 but was then converted to an entrance-only route, permitting only northbound traffic into the industrial area and blocking southbound traffic from exiting.
The conversion created a major traffic barrier for the District’s public works crew and businesses on North Nadina as outbound traffic has to exit out through Tweedie Ave. North. And the change created a bottleneck at Tweedie Ave. North as that became the exit through which all industrial traffic must travel.
The District’s 2014 Master Transportation Plan outlined the problems that resulted, recommending a series of improvements for a safer and more consistent flow-through of traffic to and from Hwy16.
Council’s past representations have also keyed on increased industrial development in the region which has meant more rail traffic as a main reason for improvements to CN rail crossings.
Also on council’s list is adult education and training, longer term bed availability at Cottonwood Manor, improve regulations to reduce industrial emissions and its continued efforts to expand the Dungate Community Forest.
