Widening of Commonage Road (photo credit: Predator Ridge Facebook)
Safer cycling route

Commonage road shoulder widening redone

Apr 1, 2021 | 10:32 AM

The contractor tasked with widening the shoulders on Commonage Road from Vernon through to Predator Ridge has made good on the repaving, after a sub-standard job was done on the first attempt. The work was done in conjunction with fully repaving a stretch of the road closer to Predator Ridge.

“Recycled asphalt was placed along the shoulder of the road, but it looked more like gravel,” Bob Fleming, Electoral Area B representative, said in December 2020. “I have confirmed in discussions with highways “(Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure) that the contractor will have to replace the asphalt and properly pack it.”

The paving of the shoulder on the narrow and winding road was welcomed by Predator Ridge property owners, hikers and bikers using the route as a connection to the resort and adjacent trail networks, like the Okanagan Rail Trail.

Commonage road pre-paving (photo credit: Vernon Matters )

The funding was approved by the City of Vernon in September 2020,using $25,000 from the gas tax reserve.

Mayor Victor Cumming noted at the time that while the road is outside the city, it leads to Predator Ridge Resort, which is part of the city.

“This is a long time coming. We put these communities out there and then just leave them,” said Councillor Scott Anderson. “I would like to see something done for Silver Star Foothills too.”

The city annexed the 1,200 acres the resort and golf courses sit on in 1993. The eventual build-out of the resort town could see 5,000 residents live there.

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