Nothing etched in stone, but appears a tunnel is in the works for South Slocan bridge upgrades
By Bruce Fuhr
There was no tunnel design on any of the drawings at the Ministry of Transportation Open House held Tuesday in the Mount Sentinel High School foyer.
However, Project Manager for the job that will see the removal of the South Slocan Bridge a few kilometers east of the Highway 3A/6 Junction, Rob Kalabis, said he’s “totally supportive” of the idea.
“It’s just how it can all fit together,” Kalabis told The Nelson Daily during the Open House that saw more than a 100 people attend.
“I feel we’re pretty much at the point where (tunnel) is a go,” Kalabis added.
“We just need to get all our ducks in a row.”
Several Ministry of Transportation staff joined Kalabis during the Open House to answer questions from residents regarding the project.
The Ministry brought along conceptual drawings of how the road will look without the bridge — with a wider radius curve, better alignment, better sight lines; two meter paved shoulders as well as a left-turn lane into the South Slocan Village Road for westbound traffic.
“I think the response has been positive,” Kalabis said.
“I think when people get a chance to talk to us and find out what we’re all about . . . the project is still early in the game and there’s an opportunity to address this project can work with the trails . . . they’re happy to hear that.”
Kalabis said the bridge was built in the early 1960s and is nearing the end of its lifespan.
So ministry officials met with local stakeholders — Slocan Valley Heritage Trail Society, TransCanada Trails Society and Regional District Central Kootenay — to begin dialogue on how best to serve the community and the thousands of vehicles that use that stretch of road.
The concept designs are a start, but Kalabis said, are not final.
“People maybe had a sense of us coming in and saying, “this is what we’re doing” but we’re really, really early in the game,” he said.
“That’s why we’re having this Open House. Because we want people to come out, fill out our comments sheets and tell us how much they’re using this connection now so we can get some information, which helps build a business case.”
Craig Lawrence, Director for the Slocan Valley Heritage Trail Society, was pleased with the response he received from ministry officials.
The Slocan Valley Heritage Trail Society is advocating the construction of a tunnel under the highway that would allow trail users to cross from one side to the other safely.
“I see potential and see a lot of people on the same page.” Lawrence said.
“There’s a lot of interest to have the tunnel there, it’s just a question of how do we get everyone on the same page to get it to happen.”
“I think the shear numbers here tonight should get ministry to go back and find a way to make this work.”
Kalabis said he hopes to have updated designs in the next few months.
Tenders will go out early in 2017 with construction date most likely in the summer of the same year.
“Ministry supports having an underpass and we’re just working with our stakeholders now to figure out how we can fund that and how it would work into the project,” Kalabis said.
