Question 1

Why is the Rail Trail north of Kelowna not finished?

Accepted Answer

The missing section near the airport is delayed due to a complex federal land transfer process called Addition to Reserve (ATR) involving the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB). Although trail designs and funding are ready, the land—formerly owned by CN—must first be officially transferred to OKIB. Finalizing this requires resolving utility easements and legal agreements. Municipalities and OKIB signed an agreement in 2022, but construction can't begin until the federal government approves the ATR, which has been stalled for years.

Question 2

Why is the Extension so expensive?

Accepted Answer

The Clement Extension is so expensive—estimated at $135 million—because it’s a complicated project that involves cutting through hills, crossing a creek, and relocating things like power lines, gas pipes, and even parts of the railway. It would also destroy green space and wetlands, which means the city has to spend extra on environmental protection and stormwater systems. On top of that, they’d need to buy land from businesses and possibly move some people or services. Construction costs have gone up due to inflation, and the project was originally supposed to connect to a second bridge, which is no longer happening—so now it’s a pricey road that doesn’t even serve its full purpose.

Question 3

Will the bike/walking path be taken away completely?

Accepted Answer

The current vision is to have a bike/walking path beside the road, similar to those elsewhere in the city.  While construction is going on, likely it will not be available of course.  This means less to no greenspace and increased direct car/bike interactions of course.

Question 4

Won't this extension solve the congestion problem? What is "Induced Demand"

Accepted Answer

No!  Studies show that more roads just mean more cars on the road.  This is called "Induced demand" Have you ever been in an urban area where there is no congestion at all.  Building more roads doesn't solve traffic jams: less cars on the road do.

Since "induced demand" was first described in 1962, study after study has shown that cities cannot build enough roads to accommodate all drivers: Demand will always exceed supply at busy times of the day.  Why is that?  Free cookies are an apt analogy.  If I show up to a regular monthly meeting with a tray of free cookies, they'll quickly disappear.  So then I'll bring more cookies to the next meeting, but some people will have skipped their afternoon cookie in the hopes that I show up with free cookies, and again I won't have enough.  So the next time I bring even more cookies, but by then people have started telling their friends to come to the meeting because there will be free cookies and, again, I won't have enough.  You see how it goes: Providing free cookies just generates more demand for free cookies.  Roads are just like free cookies: Driving is so convenient that demand will always exceed supply.

What is induced demand? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4Dn1njxIe4)
More Lanes are (Still) a Bad Thing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHZwOAIect4)
Why Roads ALWAYS Fill Up, No Matter How Much We Widen Them (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQld7iJJSyk)
Induced Demand: How Building Highway 413 is likely to make gridlock worse - Environmental Defence

Question 5

Isn't the greenspace just a place for the homeless to camp in?

Accepted Answer

There are two different problems here: homelessness and camping in forested areas.  With regard to camping, it is illegal to set up a tent in a greenspace: period.  The by-laws department is continually patrolling the area to enforce this, but it is hard.  But with regard to homelessness itself, greenspaces are NOT one of the causes of homelessness.  Removing the greenspace will make the situation move elsewhere, not unfortunately solve the issues (we wish it were that easy!)

Question 6

I see lots of construction at the base of Dilworth.  Isn't that the start of the Clement Extension?

Accepted Answer

No.  This is a housing project that was set up long ago and is just coming about now.  See  https://www.kelowna.ca/homes-building/property-development/current-developments/s24-0092

Question 7

What can I, a single person, do to influence this?

Accepted Answer

Lots.  You can write letters to the City Counsel, you can tell others about this, you can sign the petition ... and most importantly, you can become part of croud who vocalizes opposition to this.  As a group of individuals, we can change Counsel's minds.

Question 8

This has been planned for years, and hasn't happened. Why are we so worried about it now?

Accepted Answer

The current City Council has the plan to put"shovels in the ground" for 2027 and seems adamant that this is a good idea in several of their meetings.