City planners temper wording of goal to shift focus from cars

City planners have tapped the brakes on an ambitious plan to rapidly de-emphasize the importance of cars in Kelowna.

The wording of a long-range transportation goal has been revised based on reservations expressed by members of the public.

Original wording was that Kelowna would “move away from our car-centric culture.” But that’s now been changed to “transition from our car-centric culture.”

In a report going to city councillors on Monday, planners say the new phrasing is meant to “convey the gradual nature” of the shift to a future where cars are less important to people’s everyday transportation needs.

Still, it’s clear the report’s authors see major drawbacks to what they believe is over-reliance on private automobiles in Kelowna, which they say has the highest percapita level of vehicle ownership of any Canadian city.

“If we do not find ways to reduce the impact of congestion, our economy and quality of life will suffer,” the report states.

“Building more roads may ease the pressure for a time, but it will also make Kelowna a less safe, attractive and healthy place to live,” the report says.

A highway bypass is impractical and unnecessary, city planners say, because only 10 per cent of all current Highway 97 traffic is going through the city. Most people are driving to destinations along the existing highway corridor, and half of all jobs in Kelowna are within 800 metres of the highway.

Between now and 2027, the city proposes to spend nearly as much on walking, biking and public transit ($202 million) as it does on building and maintaining roads ($210 million).

“Shifting away from our car-centric culture does not mean banning cars,” the report states. “Many trips will always be more convenient in a personal vehicle.”

But 58 per cent of all trips currently made by Kelowna residents are of five kilometres or less, a transportation survey found. That means the trips could be made within 20 minutes on a bike, city staff say.

Eleven per cent of all trips are one kilometre or less, meaning they could be walked in 10 minutes.

Given those percentages, additional investments in infrastructure such as sidewalks and bike lanes could encourage less use of private vehicles, city planners believe.