Construction on the Green Avenue and Skaha Lake Road project is expected to be substantially complete before the start of the school year. Ahead of Council's Sept. 1 meeting, the City has released a report providing background information, including its history, planning process, community feedback and future monitoring plans. The report was prepared in response to a notice of motion approved by Council on Aug. 18.
The improvements are part of the City's Safe Routes to School program, which aims to make it safer and easier for students and families to walk, roll or wheel to school. The work near Skaha Lake Elementary was identified through a multi-year planning process involving School District 67, school communities, transportation studies and Council-approved capital budgets.
“Council requested additional information about the project, and this report provides that information in one place," said Anthony Haddad, City Manager. "It outlines how the project developed; summarizes council correspondence and calls for service (CFS) received to date and identifies the next steps for monitoring and review once construction is complete.
Because construction and final signal adjustments are still underway, post-construction traffic data is not yet available. Once the project is complete, staff will begin collecting traffic and intersection performance data and will review the results with the City's transportation consultants. A formal review is recommended approximately six months after construction is complete.
The City recognizes that many recent questions have focused on emergency access and evacuation planning.
Public safety and emergency response are important considerations in transportation planning, and the City works closely with emergency service providers when designing road projects. Emergency access requirements are considered during project design, and emergency responders are regularly informed of construction activities, detours and other changes that may affect travel routes. The report also provides an update on separate emergency planning work that is already underway.
Through grant-funding, the City has been updating its existing evacuation plans to reflect current population levels, growth and changes to the transportation network. The work includes transportation analysis, population modelling and public notification planning to help support future emergency preparedness and response efforts.
"Every emergency is different," said Haddad. "Evacuation routes and directions are determined by emergency officials based on the specific conditions at the time. The City's ongoing planning work is focused on ensuring those decisions are supported by the best available information."
The evacuation plan update project is expected to continue into late 2026 and early 2027, with findings to be shared with Council and the community as they become available.
Residents seeking information about the Green Avenue and Skaha Lake Road project are encouraged to review Council reports and project information available through the City's website and official communication channels.
Residents are also encouraged to register for Penticton Alert to receive emergency notifications and instructions directly from emergency officials if an emergency occurs.
Council will review the report at its regular meeting on Sept. 1. The full report and supporting documents are available at penticton.ca/council.