Recent changes to the Highway 97A/B intersection are not sitting well with drivers or city council. 

At the Nov. 25 Salmon Arm council meeting, minutes of a recent city Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) meeting prompted comments about two intersections of concern, both along 97B. The first was the intersection at 10th Avenue SE. Coun. Tim Lavery asked for more information regarding points in the minutes stating the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) is "considering changing the intersection of Highway 97B and restricting 10th Avenue SE to right in 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ“ right out only." 

City public works and engineering director Rob Niewenhuizen elaborated, stating that MOTI's representative on the TSC ministry informed the committee that ministry design engineers are currently looking into safety improvements at that location and that they are still within the design stages.

"He mentioned that there was a potential that there could be a right-in/right-out scenario or a no-left turn," said Niewenhuizen. "However, that hasn91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t been finalized in any way and there will be a meeting in January to discuss this with city staff91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ¦"

Couns. Lavery and Kevin Flynn noted the intersection has long been a concern for the city, one that has been repeatedly shared with the ministry. Flynn was not impressed with the idea of it being changed to right-in,right-out. 

"I can91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t imagine how right out only would improve safety because what91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s going to happen on 97B is people are going to go right and then turn around in that turnout for trucks and try to come back," said Flynn. "I just don91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t see that being a viable solution, but we91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ll leave that to the traffic engineers. I do feel we need more there, whether it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s a slow speed limit, or a light, I don91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t know the answer. I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™m not a traffic engineer but that solution seems absolutely terrible in my mind."

Coun. Sylvia Lindgren asked what a right-in, right-out might look like. Niewenhuizen said that's with the engineers, and said MOTI may have some options to share in January. 

"It seems like an underpass is the way to go but that91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s never going to happen," said Lindgren. "I hope they come up with a better answer than right-only turns."

This conversation led to another intersection of concern, 97A/97B. Flynn mentioned an article in Salmon Arm's Friday AM, in which a local driver shares concerns about recent changes to the intersection that led to the removal of the immediate northeast-bound passing lane. The Observer has also received concerns about southbound drivers turning off of 97A onto 97B lane at the same time northbound 97A traffic is turning left at the new light onto 97B. 

Flynn, who sits on the board of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD), mentioned the article and agreed action was needed.

"I don91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t think there91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s enough signage to say it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s been changed, and that corner now, people91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s old habits are literally dying hard and hopefully nobody has a head-on when they think that they91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™re in a passing lane when it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s actually for the traffic coming down the hill," said Flynn. "I have significant concerns with having driven it at night, having driven it after a snowfall, that that intersection is an accident literally waiting to happen.

Not to mention the left-turn signal waiting to come into Salmon Arm that is new, seems to be red way more than it should be91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ¦"

Coun. Sylvia Lindgren agreed, sharing a recent experience at the intersection. 

"We came home from an eye appointment in Vernon on Tuesday and I was promptly passed as I came up the hill in my lane," said Lindgren. "The traffic that turned off the other highway came right up beside me and floored it up the hill in the oncoming lane, not knowing they were driving the wrong way on the wrong side of the road. And it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s true, it91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s an accident waiting to happen."  

Mayor Alan Harrison urged the CSRD to take the lead on raising these concerns with the ministry. 

In an email to the Observer, the ministry said several improvements have been made along 97A and 97B to support increased use of these routes when closures are required for the Bruhn Bridge construction project. These include a traffic signal and extended eastbound turn bay at 97A/B going in late September 2024, along with asphalt resurfacing from Grindrod to Sicamous and a Mara Lake retaining wall south of Swansea Point that is nearing completion.

Regarding the 97A/B intersection, the ministry said the extended eastbound turn bay required the northbound climbing lane to be adjusted approximately 100 metres north of the intersection.

"Traffic signs were added to alert traffic of the signal change," said the ministry. "As with any new signal, the Ministry worked to adjust the signal timing to optimize it to help drivers adjust to the change."

The ministry said it is monitoring traffic and "will provide enhanced winter maintenance to support the continued safe use of these routes in recognition of the potential for higher than usual traffic volumes. It is also monitoring to see if additional or enhanced signage would improve safety, and is "working to improve the visibility of lane markings."