In response to Kelowna's rapid growth, TAP is an initiative designed to speed up the delivery of transportation projects and strengthen our transportation network. TAP includes several transportation projects that have been identified for accelerated design and delivery, ahead of their timelines in the Transportation Master Plan and associated 10-Year Capital Plan.

Projects are being funded in partnership between the City of Kelowna and the Government of Canada through the Canada Community Building Fund administered by UBCM.

• Enhanced mobility and connectivity by improving the transportation network in Kelowna and managing travel times
• Safety improvements with features like protected bike lanes, sidewalks, and intersection upgrades
• Support for population growth as part of the 2040 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) and Transportation Accelerator Program (TAP)
• Environmental considerations with planned mitigation efforts around Munson Pond and Carney Pond
• Economic growth by enhancing urban centers and providing inclusive transportation options
• Community health and safety through the inclusion of bike lanes and sidewalks

Current phase

The first phase of the Burtch Road extension will provide a new 1.6 km section of arterial road between the existing section of Burtch Road at Denver Road and K.L.O Road.

This includes northbound and southbound travel lanes with narrow widths to accommodate increased volumes while managing operating speeds. The project will urbanize the full length of the road, including street trees, protected bike lanes, sidewalks, and a crosswalk to access the Munson Pond trail network. It also includes left turn lanes and intersection improvements where needed, including a new traffic signal at K.L.O. and Burtch, increasing capacity at the existing Byrns Road roundabout. These works are being coordinated with required sanitary sewer infrastructure upgrades.

The project aims to enhance connections to Munson Pond in addition to enhancing various environmental aspects of the area.

Project area

The project area is shown in blue in the photo below:

Design

Why this design?

• Fits within the City's property lines
• Separating cyclists and pedestrians from the road increases safety and comfort
• The narrow roadway accommodates traffic while encouraging slower traffic speeds
• Inclusion of street trees
• Accommodates projected growth and development in the future
• Exploring opportunity for enhancement to adjacent Munson Pond
• Vegetated buffer

Long-term vision

The Burtch Road extension project is an infrastructure initiative aimed at enhancing the transportation network and sanitary sewer works in our community. The long-term vision for this project will create a continuous north/south corridor between Glenmore Road and K.L.O Road as identified in the TMP.

Other phases of the long-term project include upgrading and widening Burtch Road from Highway 97 to Glenmore Road.

Current phase

The first phase of the Hollywood Road extension will provide a new 2.1 km section of arterial road between John Hindle Drive to Sexsmith Road.

This project will develop a suburban major arterial roadway, including a north bound and south bound lane, left turn lanes where warranted, new bike lanes, sidewalks where there are currently gaps and intersection upgrades at Academy Way and Appaloosa Road. This work is being coordinated with BC Transit planning for the future Kelowna Transit facility.

Project area

The project area is shown in blue in the photo below:

Preliminary design

Why this design?

• Fits within the City's property lines
• Accommodates projected growth and development in the future
• Accommodates future BC Transit Facility
• Connected sidewalk and bike lanes to UBCO
• Inclusion of Street trees

Long-term vision

The Hollywood Road extension project is a significant infrastructure initiative aimed at enhancing the transportation network in our community. The long-term vision for this project will develop Hollywood Road as a continuous arterial corridor between Airport Way and Highway 97 as identified in the Transportation Master Plan. This extension aims to enhance reliability and connectivity to the Gateway District, supporting future employment growth around UBCO, Kelowna International Airport, and surrounding areas.

Best management practices are proposed to limit the spread of invasive species. This includes clean equipment, stabilizing bare soil, and removing invasive species before construction.

Vegetation removal is proposed to occur outside of the migratory bird nesting window, but a survey for annually protected nest will be completed prior to clearing. If vegetation needs to be removed during the migratory bird nesting windows it will require bird nest surveys be completed in advance of clearing. Buffers for active nests will be applied as needed and protected nest will not be impacted. The raptor nesting period is 01 January to 30 September, and the migratory bird breeding window is 31 March to 15 August.

A general wildlife permit has been obtained to salvage amphibians during the culvert replacement along Fascieux Creek. Wetted areas with potential for overwintering amphibians will not be disturbed. All methods and best management practices outlined in the permit will be followed.

Showy milkweed will be retained wherever feasible. If plants will be impacted they will be relocated (transplanted) to outside of the project area. All works will be conducted by a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP).

Downlighting on streetlights is proposed to prevent impacts to owls. Lights are fitted with house-side shields, which block light from shining beyond the roadway.

Addition of owl and bat boxes around Munson pond will be installed to improve habitats.

A wildlife sweep for painted turtle nests will be completed prior to any disturbances. If nests are found, they will be protected and buffered according to best management practices. Exclusion fencing will be installed prior to nesting season. Construction activities have been scheduled to avoid disturbance during sensitive nesting periods.

The project will avoid areas of existing turtle nesting habitat. In addition, new artificial turtle nesting sites adjacent to Munson Pond for Western Painted Turtle will be installed to prevent turtles from migrating across the new road.

Wildlife sweeps for species at risk will be completed prior to construction. The contractors will be required to establish isolation fencing along areas with higher potential for wildlife interactions during the construction phase. Isolation fencing will be removed once construction is complete.

Impacts to Fascieux Creek were minimized to a single perpendicular roadway crossing. A Water Sustainability Act Section 11 Notification for the culvert replacement was submitted and approved by the Province of British Columbia. All activities will be carried out in accordance with the conditions and timelines outlined in the approval.

Compensation for the loss of riparian area associated with road works will consist of riparian area restoration at a 3:1 ratio along the western bank of Munson Pond. The proposed compensation area is from the highwater mark back 10 m from the edge of Munson Pond. Compensation planting will be subject to a 3-year maintenance period requiring 80% survivorship. Native plant species were selected with collaboration and support from CONC and COLT.

A previously disturbed, provincially mapped wetland adjacent to the walking trail was evaluated to better understand the wetland boundary despite the heavily modified landscape. This assessment was undertaken to inform the design process, with the intent of avoiding impacts to the wetland boundary.