The number of trips to and from Downtown could more than double by 2040. Recognizing that this will increase travel demand, the City is planning ahead and exploring options to gradually introduce a high-quality rapid transit corridor along Richter Street to alleviate traffic while promoting more efficient and sustainable ways of moving people. This will also support new housing and jobs in the area as Kelowna grows.

Keep reading to learn about the proposed approach.

What's proposed

Incremental steps to improve transit, which will depend on how housing and transit ridership grow along the corridor.

  • This will start with express bus service on Richter, then adding bus-only lanes and protecting space for rail in the future
  • Bus-only lanes would be added to Richter by paving the existing gravel shoulder
  • Richter St and Lakeshore Rd will be gradually widened, as re-development occurs, to add wider sidewalks and street trees along the corridor

Why Richter?

Seven potential transit corridors were identified: two along Pandosy Street, three along Richter Street, and two one-way couplets using both streets.

Richter was selected because compared to other options, it:

  • is closer to more people and jobs;
  • has the highest forecasted use; and
  • would have less impact on car traffic.

See evaluation overview for more details.

Thanks for reading!

Click 'learn more' to find answers to commonly asked questions - or ask a question of your own!

Question 1

Do you understand why the City is proposing dedicated transit lanes along Richter Street?

This poll has concluded.

  • Yes
    78% (443 votes)
  • Mostly
    12% (66 votes)
  • Somewhat
    5% (27 votes)
  • No
    6% (33 votes)
Total Votes: 569

Question 2

Do you understand how the City plans to add space for dedicated lanes along Richter?

This poll has concluded.

  • Yes
    63% (281 votes)
  • Mostly
    18% (79 votes)
  • Somewhat
    9% (42 votes)
  • No
    9% (42 votes)
Total Votes: 444

Question 3

Types of dedicated lanes

    1. Dedicated transit in the centre of the street.
    2. Stops located in the centre of the road at signalized intersections.
    3. Traffic can only make left turns at signalized intersections. A centre raised island restricts left turns into and out of unsignalized side streets and driveways.

    1. Dedicated transit in the outer lanes of the street.
    2. Stops located on the side of the road at signalized intersections.
    3. Traffic can cross transit lanes to access properties and make turns.
    4. Curb space could have flexible use for peak hour bus.

Based on what you know about dedicated median and curbside lanes, which do you prefer for Richter?

This poll has concluded.

  • Median dedicated lanes
    43% (271 votes)
  • Curbside dedicated lanes
    43% (275 votes)
  • Something else
    5% (34 votes)
  • Not sure
    8% (53 votes)
Total Votes: 633

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Cameron Noonan

Transportation Planner

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