WR Bennett Bridge/Vernon Matters Staff

By Vernon Matters Staff

More gridlock

Traffic on Bennett Bridge rises this summer, still no second crossing planned

Sep 18, 2025 | 10:11 AM

Traffic on the William R. Bennett Bridge connecting Kelowna and West Kelowna has increased this summer, but the Ministry of Transportation and Transit says there are still no plans for a second crossing.

Between May and August 2025, more than eight million vehicles crossed the bridge, an increase of nearly 50,000 compared with the same period in 2024. July was the busiest month, with over two million vehicles recorded.

Despite the higher volumes, the Ministry said the five-lane bridge has sufficient capacity through 2040. “The Ministry of Transportation and Transit is committed to ensuring safe and efficient travel on its highways and roads across the Okanagan Valley,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry pointed to the 2019 Central Okanagan Planning Study, which reviewed future capacity needs across Okanagan Lake and determined that “a second crossing is not warranted and would not alleviate congestion in the Okanagan.”

Instead, officials said the focus is on improving the existing bridge. The Central Okanagan Integrated Transportation Strategy, developed in 2023 in collaboration with local governments, Indigenous communities, and the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, “prioritizes improvements to the regional transportation network that promote greater use of transit and active transportation modes.”

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Planned improvements include adding a future eastbound lane on the bridge and upgrades to the Boucherie and Westlake intersections, which are currently in the engineering and design phase. The Ministry emphasized that there is “no timeline for when this work will begin,” as the engineering studies will guide future funding decisions.

The Ministry said the strategy will help reduce congestion along the Highway 97 corridor while supporting a transportation network that aligns with community development goals.