Closure of Kal Lake Road Deferred

Update 3:15 pm:

The planned closure of Kalamalka Lake Road between Browne Road and the Vernon city boundary (Phase 2 of the Kalamalka Lake Road – Okanagan Rail Trail Project) has been put off until late spring 2018.

The current work on Phase 1 (from 14th Ave to Browne Road) is expected to be wrapped up by the end of August.

The full project was originally scheduled to be complete by late October 2017, but would have required a full road closure for several months.

The full closure will still be needed, but now not until next spring.

The delay is due to work BC Hydro needs to do to relocate power poles along the road, work that was delayed due to Hydro crews being deployed to deal with power related emergencies in BC fire zones.

“Crews from BC Hydro will continue to relocate poles in preparation for the next phase of construction in the spring,” says a City release.

The City expects most of the first phase to be done by mid-August, and pole relocation completion by mid-September.

Minimal disruption to traffic, including lane closure and possible single-lane alternating traffic, is expected this year.

City spokesperson Tanya Laing Gahr says it’s not known at this point, what impact the delay could have on the project’s $4 million budget.

The initiative is adding a multi use walking and biking lane along the road from 14th Avenue by Kal Tire, to the city boundary at the Alpine Centre.

12 pm story:

BC Hydro crews will start their work to relocate power poles on Kalamalka Lake Road on Tuesday Aug. 8.

Spokesman Dag Sharman says it’s part of the City’s adding of a multi use path from 14th Avenue to the Alpine Centre.

“We estimate BC Hydro’s work on both phase one and phase two will take approximately 6 weeks from Tuesday, August 8, roughly three weeks for each phase,” Sharman tells Kiss FM. “Having said that, should the emergency situation significantly worsen in the province, BC Hydro will be there to help people in fire-affected communities, and that could impact our resources for this and other projects.”

The City is still determining when the full road closure from Browne Road to the city boundary will start, but once it does, that portion is expected to be closed to traffic until the end of October.

Sharman says their work does not require a full closure, but single lane closures at times.