Clearwater resident postpones MRI due to highway safety concerns

The state of the highway has led to some residents choosing to postpone important medical exams.

“I actually had an appointment for an MRI that I have waited almost a year for in Vernon, and I cancelled it. It has been rebooked for April because I won’t drive [Highway 5],” local resident Ailie Beaudry told CFJC Today.

Ralph Sunderman has lived in Clearwater for more than 50 years. He often makes the drive into Kamloops for his wife’s medical appointments, but can never remember seeing so many trucks on the highway.

“I’ve been driving up and down this highway for 50 years and I can’t believe how bad it’s become. A lot of it is those trucks are too fast,” said Sunderman.

“The road is fine in most places — it’s that most people don’t manage their driving. They drive like maniacs. Even when it snows or when the roads are icy they still go the same speed, they don’t slow down, they still pass, and pass in an unsafe manner,” added Jos Vanderburg.

Haring, a former paramedic, has seen the issues along the highway intensify in recent years. While he doesn’t believe there is an easy solution, it’s time to start acting.

“I think we’ve seen a lack of investment in the highway over the past 20 years. Aside from the passing lanes in Darfield and McLure we haven’t really seen much in the way of highway improvements. There was one point when they talked about four lanes all the way to the Alberta border, but the truth is there is barely passing lanes in some of these stretches,” said Haring.

Earlier this week, Kamloops North-Thompson MLA Peter Milobar voiced his displeasure with not seeing any direct funding for safety improvement for the highway in this year’s budget.

CFJC Today reached out to Transportation Minister Rob Fleming for comment on our story today but didn’t hear back ahead of our deadline.

by Michael Reeve

Clearwater resident postpones MRI due to highway safety concerns

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