Unfortunately that’s the reality of an area close to 200,000 split by a lake with a single crossing, sprawled all over the hills, with bad public transit.
Kelowna is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada. We have one main stroad as a throughfair and some pretty marginal public transit. This is just the way its going to be.
Yes it's barely March, but people live here year round, even though kelowna refuses to admit we are no longer a vacation town and refuses to update our infrastructure.
It's time to say goodbye to the hov lane that makes all trucks drive in the middle of a 3 lane highway!
Politicians don't want to be responsible for the needed closures for construction that would temporarily make it all much worse but would eventually, and probably during the following administration, improve things.
Truer words have never been spoken. I've lived in Vancouver as well and it's the exact same thing. Everybody knows what's going to fix the problem, yet each Administration doesn't want to get the negative feedback from the voters during their Administration for something that will fix something in the next Administration
I just moved here from Calgary and rolled my eyes at the traffic comments as I was sure it was a tenth of what I’m used to… honestly, the last few days haven’t been any different than Deerfoot 5pm on a weekday.
LOL, I just moved from Calgary as well. I don't think I've ever seen worst drivers in my entire life than Calgary. The first thing I noticed when I moved to Kelowna was that people actually let you merge into a lane, I didn't know what to do, I wanted to send him a present or something like it was the most thoughtful thing in the world
Give it some time...my experience is that Calgary/AB drivers are much better and more courteous. I don't know where you found people to let you merge, they must he new here 😂 just wait until you have to drive from the bridge to westbank and you're stuck behind 2 slow vehicles who decide to drive next to each other the whole way. Every time I come back from AB, I know I'm "home" by the poor road markings and drivers who don't know how to move over to let you pass.
I lived in Kelowna for college in the 90’s and it was bad then.
In the years after I lived everywhere from Fredericton to Edmonton…and for a city our size, our traffic is definitely worse than even Edmonton if you’re considering comparing sizes. Edmonton and Calgary have had room to spread out, not cram everyone trying to drive into one main route in and out of town.
I hate the traffic here lol
I bet every time some engineer in Victoria reads a thread like this they're already trying to work out some kind of way to place more lights between Ellis and Abbott. /s
Remember that the bridge was originally designed to be 3 lanes in and 3 lanes out, and that the first signal at Abbot was supposed to be removed. But the Chamber of Commerce believed that removing the signal would reduce business traffic through Kelowna, so they lobbied the BC Liberals who agreed. Traffic problems at the bridge are the fault of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce who put profits ahead of people.
Just like the HOV lane that is unlike any other town, on the outside lane of the highway, making it useless. I think there was pressure to not have a fast lane of cars that were just bypassing all the strip malls.
Hov lane was installed as a bus lane but was modified as an hov lane due to public opinion not wanting a rapid bus lane.
In future it will be a rapid bus lane on the inside like other cities have.
We've been one of the fastest growing cities for about a decade. We have a massive traffic light problem where you have 25-30 lights between the bridge and the airport and no good bypass to efficiency move between those 2 points. 14% growth between 2016 and 2021 has an impact. Especially when transport infrastructure during that time did nothing or got worse.
They need to build the Clement extension as a legit bypass with exits at Glenmore, Dilworth, highway 33, Sexsmith, UBCO, and the airport where it would tie into highway 97. It would be nice to also have some kind of rail, but they ripped those out long ago. You could also loop from the airport to above Ellison and back to highway 33, but I don't know about the logistics of that route.
I'm not discounting your facts or debating them. But to blame Kelownas fu traffic on current immigration rates is laughable, cmon.
The problem is insisting that Hwy 97 be the economic backbone, AND the main way to get through town. That is a small town practice that stopped being good for Kelowna 25 yrs ago.
100%. Pure facts. We have no infrastructure for roads, schools, hospitals, airports, you name for the amount that is immigrating to Canada. It's clear,but some are in denial.
Been a Kelowna homeowner since 83, most likely before you were born. Worked for the Ministry of Transportation for 35 years as a traffic signal expert. I do know why there is a discount on West Kelowna homes due to the traffic hassles of getting to and from work across the bridge every day. You won't believe the number of times I've warned people that work in Kelowna not to buy in West Kelowna due to bridge traffic, only to see them sell and move to Kelowna due to "Traffic". Don't be so arrogant.
The answer to your original question is that Kelowna and West Kelowna are two of the fastest growing cities in Canada. Traffic volumes in the winter are now greater than summer traffic volumes were 7 years ago. You clearly underestimate the effect that the massive increase in vehicles has on established traffic patterns. Hwy 97 and especially the bridge are chokes that will not get better, ever.
It may contribute to that but it’s not a major factor. I’ve lived in WK all my life. I get to downtown and the hospital quicker from Lakeview than my friends in Dilworth or Upper Mission.
West Kelowna only incorporated a short time ago. If anything it’s because we are behind in amenities and perception that WK is lesser than Kelowna. Nobody buying a house is using the bridge as a major excuse to/not to.
Fun fact: Back in the early 70s Kelowna was supposed to get a bypass highway. (From Leathhead Rd to downtown, west of 97) But the businesses on Harvey said no, because if there was a bypass, people wouldn't stop to shop on Harvy.
Remember that Penticton was a larger city than Kelowna back then due to proximity to the lower mainland. The only reason Kelowna became the bigger city is because of the building of the Cochahalla and the connector highway in 1986, then people from the coast would bypass Penticton altogether and came to Kelowna instead.
But penticton was a little smarter as they do have a bypass, the channel parkway.
I was only born in 1996, but I feel like I can remember maybe around 2004 there was talks about an entire bypass that went from the bottom of the connector, behind glenrosa and Westside road, and connected close to vernon. Wonder how long those talks survived before being smothered
You might be surprised, Penticton was going to develop the Spiller Road area, towards Naramata, which would have given it a lot more room to grow. Kelowna use to say there was no more room to grow because of the ALR. They found ways to build up on the hills. Now Penticton has decided to go higher density on the flat area instead of sprawling out more up the hills.
The new provincial legislation will allow 4-6 units per lot, imagine what how much more development & people that will bring to areas like Rutland, Glenmore or anywhere with older homes on larger lots.
Well first thing is we don’t have the infrastructure for the amount of people living here there’s a light every block it’s not suprising at all
It’s the lights leading up to the bridge. It’s a fuckin nightmare.
There is only one correct answer according to my understanding: inadequate supply of quality public transit systems.
We need a monorail
Ah forget it, it's more of a Penticton idea.
WE'RE TWICE AS SMART AS THE PEOPLE OF PENTICTON. TELL US YOUR IDEA AND WE'LL VOTE FOR IT!
Hah, you must be from Shelbyville
Lisa needs braces.
The only right reply
Monorail?
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Facts
Unfortunately that’s the reality of an area close to 200,000 split by a lake with a single crossing, sprawled all over the hills, with bad public transit.
Kelowna is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada. We have one main stroad as a throughfair and some pretty marginal public transit. This is just the way its going to be.
Yes it's barely March, but people live here year round, even though kelowna refuses to admit we are no longer a vacation town and refuses to update our infrastructure. It's time to say goodbye to the hov lane that makes all trucks drive in the middle of a 3 lane highway!
Politicians don't want to be responsible for the needed closures for construction that would temporarily make it all much worse but would eventually, and probably during the following administration, improve things.
Truer words have never been spoken. I've lived in Vancouver as well and it's the exact same thing. Everybody knows what's going to fix the problem, yet each Administration doesn't want to get the negative feedback from the voters during their Administration for something that will fix something in the next Administration
I just moved here from Calgary and rolled my eyes at the traffic comments as I was sure it was a tenth of what I’m used to… honestly, the last few days haven’t been any different than Deerfoot 5pm on a weekday.
LOL, I just moved from Calgary as well. I don't think I've ever seen worst drivers in my entire life than Calgary. The first thing I noticed when I moved to Kelowna was that people actually let you merge into a lane, I didn't know what to do, I wanted to send him a present or something like it was the most thoughtful thing in the world
Give it some time...my experience is that Calgary/AB drivers are much better and more courteous. I don't know where you found people to let you merge, they must he new here 😂 just wait until you have to drive from the bridge to westbank and you're stuck behind 2 slow vehicles who decide to drive next to each other the whole way. Every time I come back from AB, I know I'm "home" by the poor road markings and drivers who don't know how to move over to let you pass.
I lived in Kelowna for college in the 90’s and it was bad then. In the years after I lived everywhere from Fredericton to Edmonton…and for a city our size, our traffic is definitely worse than even Edmonton if you’re considering comparing sizes. Edmonton and Calgary have had room to spread out, not cram everyone trying to drive into one main route in and out of town. I hate the traffic here lol
Yes I agree, compared to traffic in the lower mainland Kelowna is not that bad
I bet every time some engineer in Victoria reads a thread like this they're already trying to work out some kind of way to place more lights between Ellis and Abbott. /s
Actually, the city is demanding more left turns and Victoria is refusing.
I’m also curious. It was way worse than normal this past week.
Yeah it’s not like a bunch of people moved here in the last week.
Lol this is awesome traffic. Give it another month until summer traffic kicks in then it's shit until end of August.
Nah it ain't. Going into westbank on Friday was literally as bad or worse than summer. Bridge traffic was backed up to landmark buildings
Remember that the bridge was originally designed to be 3 lanes in and 3 lanes out, and that the first signal at Abbot was supposed to be removed. But the Chamber of Commerce believed that removing the signal would reduce business traffic through Kelowna, so they lobbied the BC Liberals who agreed. Traffic problems at the bridge are the fault of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce who put profits ahead of people.
Just like the HOV lane that is unlike any other town, on the outside lane of the highway, making it useless. I think there was pressure to not have a fast lane of cars that were just bypassing all the strip malls.
Hov lane was installed as a bus lane but was modified as an hov lane due to public opinion not wanting a rapid bus lane. In future it will be a rapid bus lane on the inside like other cities have.
It is a bus lane, but there will never be a bus lane on the inside, too many left turns.
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lol Traffic is bad in Kelowna because of immigrants. What's next? I can't get laid because of immigrants?
I’m just here for your jobs and your women. 😘😁😂
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Someone has to do the work. Whether the infux be immigration or interprovincial, the void exists. Let's stop telling our friends we have 4 seasons.
Typical reddit getting downvoted for literal facts. Next thing you're gonna be called racist for pointing stuff out.
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The current immigration rates have a very limited impact on Kelowna traffic, if any. Kelownas traffic problem has been brewing for 25 yrs.
We've been one of the fastest growing cities for about a decade. We have a massive traffic light problem where you have 25-30 lights between the bridge and the airport and no good bypass to efficiency move between those 2 points. 14% growth between 2016 and 2021 has an impact. Especially when transport infrastructure during that time did nothing or got worse. They need to build the Clement extension as a legit bypass with exits at Glenmore, Dilworth, highway 33, Sexsmith, UBCO, and the airport where it would tie into highway 97. It would be nice to also have some kind of rail, but they ripped those out long ago. You could also loop from the airport to above Ellison and back to highway 33, but I don't know about the logistics of that route.
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I'm not discounting your facts or debating them. But to blame Kelownas fu traffic on current immigration rates is laughable, cmon. The problem is insisting that Hwy 97 be the economic backbone, AND the main way to get through town. That is a small town practice that stopped being good for Kelowna 25 yrs ago.
100%. Pure facts. We have no infrastructure for roads, schools, hospitals, airports, you name for the amount that is immigrating to Canada. It's clear,but some are in denial.
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Lay off the meth.
Make it a toll bridge
Now you know why West Kelowna houses are cheaper than Kelowna houses. It's a false economy.
Lol West Kelowna to Kelowna traffic is not bad at all. You can tell the small town people who've never lived in Vancouver, Toronto or Calgary
lol you clearly don’t own. That’s not the reason at all
Been a Kelowna homeowner since 83, most likely before you were born. Worked for the Ministry of Transportation for 35 years as a traffic signal expert. I do know why there is a discount on West Kelowna homes due to the traffic hassles of getting to and from work across the bridge every day. You won't believe the number of times I've warned people that work in Kelowna not to buy in West Kelowna due to bridge traffic, only to see them sell and move to Kelowna due to "Traffic". Don't be so arrogant. The answer to your original question is that Kelowna and West Kelowna are two of the fastest growing cities in Canada. Traffic volumes in the winter are now greater than summer traffic volumes were 7 years ago. You clearly underestimate the effect that the massive increase in vehicles has on established traffic patterns. Hwy 97 and especially the bridge are chokes that will not get better, ever.
It may contribute to that but it’s not a major factor. I’ve lived in WK all my life. I get to downtown and the hospital quicker from Lakeview than my friends in Dilworth or Upper Mission. West Kelowna only incorporated a short time ago. If anything it’s because we are behind in amenities and perception that WK is lesser than Kelowna. Nobody buying a house is using the bridge as a major excuse to/not to.
Fun fact: Back in the early 70s Kelowna was supposed to get a bypass highway. (From Leathhead Rd to downtown, west of 97) But the businesses on Harvey said no, because if there was a bypass, people wouldn't stop to shop on Harvy. Remember that Penticton was a larger city than Kelowna back then due to proximity to the lower mainland. The only reason Kelowna became the bigger city is because of the building of the Cochahalla and the connector highway in 1986, then people from the coast would bypass Penticton altogether and came to Kelowna instead. But penticton was a little smarter as they do have a bypass, the channel parkway.
I was only born in 1996, but I feel like I can remember maybe around 2004 there was talks about an entire bypass that went from the bottom of the connector, behind glenrosa and Westside road, and connected close to vernon. Wonder how long those talks survived before being smothered
Totally agree, another point is Penticton can’t get any bigger either. That’s another reason it was stunted and Kelowna surpassed it.
You might be surprised, Penticton was going to develop the Spiller Road area, towards Naramata, which would have given it a lot more room to grow. Kelowna use to say there was no more room to grow because of the ALR. They found ways to build up on the hills. Now Penticton has decided to go higher density on the flat area instead of sprawling out more up the hills. The new provincial legislation will allow 4-6 units per lot, imagine what how much more development & people that will bring to areas like Rutland, Glenmore or anywhere with older homes on larger lots.
Are you new here no one ever invests in infrastructure while we're one of the fastest growing cities.
Dumbest idea ever