City seeks input on ‘horrible hassle’ of Columbia Street

By MICHELE YOUNG

Kamloops residents get their first chance to see the City’s options for widening Columbia Street at an open house slated for Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Coun. Tina Lange said today (Friday) she hasn’t heard much reaction so far from residents about the proposal, which will snarl traffic when construction is underway.

“I think that people realize it has to be done. It’s going to be a horrible hassle, but what are you going to do?” she said.

Tranquille Road and Highland Drive to Juniper have seen long lineups due to construction in the past several months, she noted.

But the Columbia Street widening needs to be done.

When completed, a middle left-turn lane will be created with full signals at intersections with Fourth, Fifth and Sixth avenues.

The question of whether Second Avenue should be closed off to vehicles will also be on the table.

Lange, who used to live in the West End, said she sees the value of keeping it open, but if that’s what residents want, they need to speak up.

City transportation planner Erin Felker said design drawings will be up for viewing at the open house.

“It’s more informational, so people will get to see what it’s shaping up to look like,” she said.

A media release and invitations to residents in a one-block radius of the street widening will be going out next week. The construction work will be done this year, co-ordinated with the new clinical services building going in at Royal Inland Hospital.

The widening will involve taking land from the south side of the street.

Coun. Donovan Cavers lives near Columbia and Ninth. He said he hasn’t had much response from area residents so far.

City councillors were sent an email this week to give them a heads up about the open house. It’s set to take place at the Sandman Hotel, 550 Columbia St., from 6 to 8 p.m.