Policy & Positions Manual
Provincial Issues - Transportation and Infrastructure
Southern BC Transportation Infrastructure: Highway 3 (2011)
Highway 3, (Crowsnest Highway), stretches across southern BC from Hope to the Alberta border. It is a principal access route to major tourist centres in the south Okanagan, the Kootenays, and the BC Rockies directly serving many communities such as Hope, Princeton, Keremeos, Osoyoos, Grand Forks, Castlegar, Creston, Cranbrook, Fernie, Sparwood and many others not directly on the Highway. Many of these communities are becoming increasingly dependent upon tourism; if these communities are to reach their full potential as tourist destinations better transportation links are crucial.
With the proliferation of golf courses, resorts and subdivisions in the East Kootenay, traffic from Alberta into BC has increased exponentially over the past 5 years. Alberta is making improvements on the highway on the Alberta side of the border, in recognition of the increasing trade, tourism and amenity migrant traffic. Recognizing recent investments in Highway 3 by government, BC should continue to do the same.
Highway 3 also provides an alternate route to the Trans Canada Highway for truck traffic, thus easing the burdens on that overcrowded route. Indeed, traffic loads on Highway 3 are said to rival those on the TCH, and Highway 3 is the most traveled route for commercial traffic from the rest of Canada into the Kootenays and to the coast due to close proximity to the United States.
Crossing several mountain ranges Highway 3 can sometimes be termed ‘an adventure’, especially in winter conditions. There are many steep hills, bridge crossings and sharp, blind corners to negotiate, with relatively few passing lanes in sections where they are badly needed both to facilitate traffic movements, and for safety.
Several major industries in the region served by Highway 3 would benefit from improved highway access – an example is Teck Corp in Trail which sometimes is forced to rely on the Highway because of a shortage of rail cars.
A group called the Highway 3 Coalition (previously considered a ‘mayor’s committee’), made up of local government representatives from communities and Regional Districts along Highway 3, has been in place for many years, (although inactive for a number of those years). In 2009 the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District spearheaded reinstatement of the committee to discuss issues of common interest respecting the Highway 3 corridor from Hope to the Alberta border, and to present a unified position to Ministry of Transportation regarding the importance of upgrading this important highway corridor.
All Mayors and Regional District Chairs along Highway 3 recognize that the economic viability of their communities relies on the safe and efficient movement of traffic. The Highway 3 Coalition (representing 23 communities and Regional Districts on or near the highway) has developed a set of four priorities for Highway 3:
- Realignment – Sunday Summit to Whipsaw Creek
- Passing lanes – Cranbrook to the Alberta border (work has begun)
- Creston Alternate Alignment
- Elko Chicane
The Coalition is also hoping an economic impact study on the highway will identify current economic constraints, assess opportunities for investment and quantify economic impacts and benefits, including possible net increases in employment and productivity, positive impacts on trade and on private sector investment. It is our understanding that Terms of Reference for such a study have been drawn up by Ministry of Transportation and Investment, with a reporting target for mid-September 2011.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS:
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that priority be placed by the provincial government on timely completion of the proposed economic impact study;
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that the provincial government continue aggressively investing in Highway 3 improvements both to facilitate economic growth, and to improve transportation safety in southern BC, and;
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that the provincial government accept the Highway 3 Coalition’s recommendations to improve Highway 3 safety and traffic flow, and give priority to their implementation.
