Area C director Allan Patton, Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson and Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes joined a small contingent of officials in opening McIntyre Passing Lanes on November 13. The $10-million upgrades include passing lanes in each direction with a paved 2.6 metre centre median, 2.0 metre wide shoulders, rumble strips and a roadside barrier where required.
Erin Christie photo
The drive from Penticton to Oliver just got a lot smoother, safer and less frustrating thanks to recent upgrades on Highway 97 between Oliver and Okanagan Falls.
The $10 million improvements to the area now called McIntyre Passing Lanes include passing lanes in each direction with a paved 2.6 metre centre median, 2.0 metre wide shoulders, rumble strips and a roadside barrier where required.
Ministry of Transportation officials suggest the new passing lanes, which are located on the 1.5 kilometre stretch just north of Gallagher Lake, will help reduce delays, traffic queuing, and driver frustration, while the addition of wider shoulders is expected to improve safety for all users of the highway including vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.
The 10-month project was completed in partnership with the Town of Oliver and the Osoyoos Indian Band, with Kelowna-based R355 Enterprises completing the roadwork, and Kamloops’ Dawson Construction upgrading the irrigation channel.
Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes said he was pleased to see the project completed and called the upgrades a huge win for the Town.
Hovanes explained that the section of irrigation channel affected by the construction happened to be the worst shape and in dire need of upgrades, which would cost the Town and its taxpayers a considerable sum. “It was a real gift,” said Hovanes.
Area C director Allan Patton echoed Hovanes, adding that the gift saved Area C and Oliver taxpayers approximately $1.7 million.
Patton said he also wanted to talk to Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson about the project burying the KVR line for a short stretch.
“I’m asking them to somehow replace that, because we don’t want to lose anything when we build these infrastructure projects,” Patton said.
Hovanes and Patton joined Larson in officially opening the lanes on November 13.
Larson noted the project was undertaken in a manner that protected the wildlife and ecosystems in the area during construction, which she credits to the Osoyoos Indian Band that were hired to do the environmental mitigation.
Work on the passing lanes started December 3, 2012 and was completed on November 7, 2013.
Erin Christie
Oliver Chronicle
