City of Kimberley staff are looking at traffic in Kimberley and a traffic plan will be going to Council in the next couple of months, according to City CAO Scott Sommerville.
One of the areas that is being looked at is right in front of City Hall — Spokane Street.
While the recommendation is that Spokane Street stay a two-way street, Sommerville says one change is being considered — the tricky intersection of Spokane with St. Mary’s Avenue.
Currently traffic can travel both ways on St. Mary’s but when traffic merges with Spokane Street, it is very awkward. A driver must be aware of traffic coming down the hill on Spokane Street but it is very difficult to get a good view. The recommendation is to make St. Mary’s Avenue a one way with no through traffic. Traffic would flow towards the Shell station and there would be parking at the end. Spokane itself would remain two way up and down the hill.
Sommerville also provided an update on Halpin Street traffic. The road up to Selkirk Secondary has been reduced to one way traffic since a slough on the bank earlier this spring. Because the slough fell onto Highway 95A, the stability of the bank is the responsibility of the Ministry of Transportation. Somerville says Halpin Street will remain one way until the city sees the MoT’s solution to the sloughing issue.