Kelowna to endorse new transportation accessibility strategy
BC Transit Bus (Image Credit: Vernon Matters Staff)
Kelowna City Council has endorsed a new strategy aimed at improving accessibility across the city’s transportation network.
Council approved the Transportation Accessibility Strategy during Monday’s meeting and directed staff to provide an update to the Accessibility Advisory Committee within one year on how the plan is being implemented.
The strategy was developed by the city’s Integrated Transportation Department and is designed to help remove barriers for people with disabilities when travelling around Kelowna.
According to the report, about 31 per cent of Kelowna residents aged 15 and older reported having at least one disability in 2022. The city says that number is expected to grow as the population ages.
The strategy focuses on improving accessibility in areas such as sidewalks, pathways, intersections, traffic signals, transit stops, cycling infrastructure and accessible parking.
City staff say the plan was shaped through engagement with people with disabilities, support organizations, transportation professionals and the Accessibility Advisory Committee.
The strategy will be rolled out through future capital projects, infrastructure upgrades and transportation planning initiatives across the city.
Officials say the goal is to create a safer, more inclusive transportation system that allows people of all abilities to move around the community more easily.
