Councillors like ‘hamburger’ version of Tranquille Road corridor enhancement plan

NEWS/ CITY HALL — Kamloops City council gave the green light Tuesday to what one councillor called a “hamburger” version of the original Tranquille Corridor enhancement plan.

The final report on the plan estimates a cost of $7.4 million, down from the $24-million version envisioned two years ago.

Beautifying the stretch of Tranquille Road from the Kamloops Airport into Brocklehurst has been noodled by a committee since the staff brought forward what’s commonly referred to as the Cadillac proposal in 2013.

Committee chair Steven Puhallo of the Kamloops North Shore BIA told council the original plan was neither viable nor reasonable, and the committee’s job was to pare it down in a way that keeps the key features of beautification but with a “frugal” price tag.

He emphasized the importance of first impressions on people visiting the city via the airport, where they currently “are greeted with an open tank farm, weeds and sagebrush.”

One of the main savings will come from not putting power and phone lines underground, Puhallo said. But there would still be a roundabout at the airport entrance, landscaping, curbing and a multi-use path on the two-km. stretch of road.

A key consideration is the possible disruption of Tranquille Road in front of the airport if Kinder Morgan’s proposal for expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline is approved. The plan foresees work on the corridor being done to coincide with the pipeline work.

Councillors were enthusiastic about the project. “We’ve gone from filet mignon down to hamburger and I like that,” said Coun. Marg Spina.