Kelowna council to look at improving goods movement on Central Okanagan roads

The City of Kelowna has identified key points to help support goods movement in the Central Okanagan as the region grows.

In 2021, the city partnered with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) to fund a goods movement study.

Highlights from the study point out that Highway 97 is the primary goods movement corridor, that more than 70 per cent of goods-generating businesses are within one kilometre of the highway, and only one to two per cent of truck trips are passing through the Central Okanagan region.

The study also found that several industries in the region rely on truck access to the roadway network and the airport to deliver and receive goods. There is limited goods movement through other modes, such as rail and water.

Goods movement is influenced by transportation logistics, operations, programs, policies, and design standards according to the report.

Six strategic directions have been identified to help support goods movement:

• Manage congestion on Highway 97 and develop a strategic goods movement network;
• Increase resiliency of road and air access to and from the Central Okanagan, including support for intermodal (rail-truck) terminals in the B.C. Interior;
• Protect industrial land supply and coordinate with transportation infrastructure projects;
• Plan for goods movement in urban areas;
• Accelerate adoption of zero-emissions goods movement vehicles and provide supporting infrastructure;
• Improve public and private sector collaboration on goods movement.

City council will review the report at its June 5 regular council meeting.

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