Highway 5A (Image credit: CFJC Today/File photo).

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Yellowhead and 5A Highways both need serious attention

Jun 22, 2022 | 4:33 AM

THERE HAVE BEEN a couple of horrendous highway accidents in the past couple of weeks, including a triple fatality on the Yellowhead. Such tragedies lead to inevitable questions about whether the issue is driving, weather or the highway itself.

The Yellowhead is frequently in the news for the wrong reasons. Often such crashes involve transport trucks but not always. Winter weather and rainy spring weather are often factors.

In one four-year period, there were 261 reported accidents between Kamloops and Heffley Creek.

After every accident, local and opposition politicians indignantly demand action from the Province.

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Six years ago, I wrote that the Yellowhead should be at the top of B.C.’s version of the Vision Zero strategy, which aims to reduce accidents by improving roadway design and construction.

And, there have been some improvements. A few years ago, a new passing lane was built at Vinsulla. Maybe tinkering around the edges is the best we can do until and if the entire highway is reconstructed, which would cost billions.

The Yellowhead isn’t the only local highway that needs attention. Highway 5A down the Nicola between Kamloops and Merritt has been a cause for concern for years. Though it’s a secondary highway, it attracts a large volume of commercial truck traffic because it saves on gas even though it’s slower than the Coquihalla.

Last fall, a group of residents including ranchers appealed to the Province to ban commercial truck traffic from the highway. They backed it up with an independent study that clearly outlined why 5A is unsuitable for heavy trucks.

Since then, there’s been crickets from Victoria. And lest you think it’s just the dastardly NDP who won’t act, Todd Stone turned down a similar request in 2013 when he was Transportation Minister, though he did bring in some improvements.

A simple stroke of the pen could fix it. By the way, there was another accident on 5A a couple of days ago.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.