It’s back to the drawing board for Kamloops City staff, after proposed traffic flow changes at the intersection of 1st and Lansdowne were voted down over concerns raised by some business owners.

In a 6-3 vote, Council decided to not move ahead with the plan to convert the southbound left turn lane from 1st Avenue onto Victoria Street into one that goes northbound from 1st Avenue onto Lansdowne Street.

Speaking on NL Newsday, Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association Executive Director says he’s pleased with that decision.

“I went and talked to as many businesses in the 100 Block of Victoria Street. Only one of probably close to 20 businesses said that they didn’t have a problem,” Reimer said. “One person said that they were worried that the 100-block would be turned into a dead zone.”

“It would fracture community and of course would block access to their businesses. My responsibility is to the businesses in our catchment area and almost unanimously in the 100-block of Victoria Street, they didn’t want it to go ahead.”

A survey by city staff showed 49 per cent of nearly 500 respondents supported the changes, while 51 per cent did not, citing general traffic or access concerns as the biggest reason why they were opposed.

“Any measure that hampers access could deter patronage, and the proposed rerouting risk isolating, potentially reducing foot traffic and consequently revenue,” Reimer told councillor during Tuesday’s council meeting.

Speaking to Radio NL in January, City of Kamloops Transportation Manager Purvez Irani said the proposed changes would have reduced delays on Lansdowne Street by about 30 per cent. He also said traffic data showed that an average of 235 vehicles turn left from 1st Avenue onto Lansdowne Street during peak afternoon hours, compared to just 21 vehicles that turn left onto Victoria Street.

“By converting the existing southbound left-turn lane onto Victoria Street into a northbound left-turn lane onto Lansdowne Street, the added capacity will reduce delays at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Lansdowne Street,” Irani said.

“In addition, vehicle queueing is often observed beyond the intersection and into Lorne Street, Lansdowne Street, 1st Avenue, and Victoria Street, backing up through the crosswalk and other intersections upstream.”

He also told council on Tuesday that extending the green light on Lansdowne without making other changes would result in longer queues on 1st Avenue going back to Seymour Street.

Councillor Mike O’Reilly, joined Nancy Bepple and Stephen Karpuk, who voted in favour of the proposed traffic flow changes, which the city said would have been done in coordination with proposed sewer work along Lansdowne Street that is set to get underway this spring.

“When I look at the data, it’s a nearly failing intersection,” O’Reilly said. “We’re on the same page hearing from Councillors [Nancy] Bepple and [Bill] Sarai that we want that light to stay greener longer, and that is what this will do. If we do keep it green for longer without changing the other pieces, its going to cause failing areas in other parts of the intersection.”

Council also voted 5-4 to direct staff to monitoring the intersection, with the goal of making potential improvements in the future. Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson joined councillors Bepple, O’Reilly, and Karpuk in voting against that decision.

“We look forward to the opportunity to engage further on this issue, on that supports both improved traffic flow and the prosperity of downtown,” Reimer added, on NL Newsday.

“One thing that wasn’t discussed and I know a lot of the councillors know this, but I’m not sure why you can’t make a left turn on a red there. I think that would alleviate some of the traffic, and I’ve heard this from other people as well. You can do it on other avenues downtown, so why not on 1st?”