COUNCIL – Summit pedestrian-bike overpass could exceed cost estimate
Artist’s drawing of Summit overpass. (Image: TRU)
The Summit pedestrian and bicycle overpass project could end up costing more than the expected $10 million, says a report coming to Kamloops City council at its regular meeting next Tuesday (Feb. 6, 2024).
The staff report says inflation could drive costs up if the project is delayed. The report calls the overpass — which has been criticized by some residents as being an unnecessary expense — “an important future active transportation connection” contemplated by the City and Thompson Rivers University since 2010.
Despite the fact there’s a crosswalk on Summit Drive between student residences and the university, the report says the overpass would improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
SEE ALSO: EDITORIAL – Please, let’s do away with the ridiculous Summit overpass idea
“It would also reduce gaps in the active transportation network, which would enable longer and uninterrupted active transportation commutes and increase ride-share modes of alternative transportation,” reducing the city’s carbon footprint.
The City and TRU have a memorandum of agreement to split the costs “regardless of the funding outcome.”
An application for a federal Active Transportation Fund grant was rejected but the report says $5 million from the Growing Communities grant of $15,692,000 grant can be used for the City’s share.
Discussions between the City and university have focused in part on location, with TRU preferring a spot closer to the sidewalk at McGill Road and Summit. TRU has hired a consultant to assess locations, with a report expected in April.
That will a year since an expected construction timeline of 2027 to 2028 was established, and City staff say delays could result in higher costs “considering recent impacts of inflation.”
ArmchairMayor.ca 
I think if the names of the folks who built the new apartments across from the university, where the folks are crossing from, were known, the reason for cramming another useless expense down our throats would become very apparent. Placating big stakeholders in our city at the expense of the taxpayers is criminal.
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Placating big stakeholders at the expense of taxpayers has been going on for a long time.
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We already have a taxpayer-funded bridge over the CP tracks on Third Avenue due to a boondoggle planning of parking vs pedestrian traffic to and from Riverside Coliseum. That bridge, built in the early 1990s, stands as a monument to silly planning. CP almost shut down the level crossings at 2nd and 3rd Avenue because too many pedestrians were playing chicken with the trains.
Nothing has been learned from the past; a load of “free” money that has to be blown somewhere. The thought is that it might as well be blown on another pedestrian bridge to accommodate, for the most part, able bodied folks.
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By the looks of it, the bridge will be too far from the intersection to be of any utility for many pedestrians. If they put the bridge closer to the intersection, then it means that people will have to walk up several flights to cross, meaning that it will only appeal to folks who want a cardio workout.
As far as I know, TRU has not polled anyone nor openly solicited input from students, faculty or staff. It would make sense to consult with the stakeholders, people who cross at the Columbia-Summit intersection everyday. I’m one of these people, and I think this bridge would be a colossal waste of money. Yes, it is a problem crossing Summit with all the traffic. But perhaps the reality is, building a bridge, expensive or not, isn’t going to serve a lot of people.
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Why is “our” Kamloops City Council & Administration keeping “their” common sense hidden from us? There’s more understanding & sense shown to us by the few comments below than has ever leaked from 7 Victoria St W, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A2.
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“The staff report says inflation could drive costs up if the project is delayed.” Staff say this on every building issue, it’s a waste of space writing this. The costs are outrageous, surely we can come up with something a little less costly and the university should be paying a higher percentage as they will be the primary beneficiary, but the city will also benefit so we need to pony something up. But having said that, WE MUST NOT ALLOW THE CITY TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT NEAR THIS PROJECT! The Peterson Creek path is nice but was it really needed? The 6th ave bike path is a complete failure from start to finish, first off it’s on the wrong street, anyone heard of the City Gardens development between 4th & 5th ave? The cost, almost $3 million for 1km and eliminating 2 full driving lanes on the busiest road entering/exiting the downtown coming from the south east or how about the recommended bike path on Lansdowne for another $3 million which was thankfully defeated.
There’s a need, but lets not jump in just because TRU’s offering to split the bill.
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Bike paths are overall a good thing period.
For sure we can discuss the way they are built and the way the contracts are awarded to build them.
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Enough already. Stop thinking the tax payer has an endless supply of money. I consider the students at TRU as adults and as such they should be able to stumble a small distance to the lights. Put up a fence, easy, simple, needs no fancy design, the deer will figure out how to get around it and there are no extra “after” costs like snow shoveling, painting over graffiti, etc.. Will it be high enough to allow trucks to pass under it, will the students actually use it or will the stairs up to it be to much work for them, if it isn’t covered (another expense) it will be very windy and cold in the winter and on it goes. I am guessing about as many people will use the over pass as use the 6 th Ave, bike fiasco.
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I thought, initially, the whole concept of this multi-million dollar fiasco was because numerous students were too lazy to walk up and use the light controlled crosswalk at McGill. Instead they continue to play chicken with vehicles as they cross 4 lanes of traffic running across Summitt, to get to TRU, from their housing accommodations.
Due to the same issue that was happening with NorKam students on Tranquille, they simply topped concrete road dividers with a fence. Voila, the problem was solved, for a minuscule faction of what this overhead walkway will cost.
STOP considering this outrageous waste of money, and instead build the economical and common sense fix for the problem
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Let’s talk “common sense” while riding a human-powered bicycle throughout the town. Otherwise your “common sense” doesn’t equal “common sense” at all.
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Why are we even still considering this ridiculous boondoggle? This idea needs to be put in the trash once and for all. “The City and TRU will split the costs” So what? Where does TRU gets its money? That’s right, from a slightly different tax pot, but from taxes nonetheless. In a time when folks are experiencing proposed double digit tax increases, housing shortages and increasing financial pressures on every front, this is the last thing we need. Please stop.
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Despite valid criticism to the project I personally would welcome an overpass in the very traffic-congested area at McGill and Summit Drive.
But for sure it will cost more since the City prefers to spend money on unnecessary embellishments carried out by preferred contractors typically charging way more than open market rates.
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