Image credit: City of Kamloops

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Let’s cheer for TRU to ignore council’s ultimatum on Summit overpass

Feb 7, 2024 | 5:55 AM

HARDBALL WAS THE NAME of the game at Tuesday’s City council meeting as council members lambasted TRU over the proposed $10-million pedestrian-bicycle bridge over Summit Drive.

Words like “playing games” and “enough is enough” flew fast and furious as council members vented their frustration with the university.

The difference of opinion is over where the thing should go. The City is set on a location further north from the intersection with McGill Road, while the university likes a spot closer to the intersection.

The City has done two studies that confirm its preferred location. Councillors were righteously adamant that it’s best for the general population, not just for TRU students and that TRU seems only interested in what’s best for the institution, i.e. the students.

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One of councillors’ concerns is that moving the overpass closer to the intersection would encourage students to use the existing crosswalk instead of the overpass. Well, they should be using the crosswalk right now.

Let’s remember the origin of the whole silly notion of an overpass: it was to make it safer for students from College Heights to get across Summit to campus. Every day, instead of walking a very short distance to the crosswalk, they skip across the connector through traffic.

A fence down the centre of Summit at the problem area would resolve things nicely but, faced with something so obvious, the City changed its tune and made it into an active transportation issue.

Now, councillors have decided they’re going to be tough. If TRU doesn’t play ball, the Memorandum of Understanding between it and the City is off. No waiting for another study. Is it yes or no, in or out?

This could be terrific news. Let’s cheer for TRU to dig in, which will have the happy result of the entire project being called off.

Maybe common sense would then prevail and a fence built instead, as it should have been years ago.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. 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.