The City of Kamloops is applying for grant funding for two active transportation projects near Thompson Rivers University – including the long-discussed Summit Drive pedestrian overpass.

Transportation Manager, Pervez Irani, told council that while the overpass will cost an estimated $10 million, the grant funding would cover up to 60 per cent, or $6 million. The rest would be split equally between the City and TRU.

“It is not a new project that is discussed in the community. It was ranked as one of the top three highest priority projects through our bicycle master plan in 2010 and it has been over a decade since we’ve been been looking at this project,” he said, noting a preliminary design was done in 2012.

“It’s been over a decade since we’ve been looking at this project.”

Located 275 metres north of the intersection of Summit Drive and McGill Road, the overpass would connect TRU with the Dalgleish Drive bike route to the east, connecting the downtown core to the TRU precinct, via Lombard Street.

“It definitely connects to our existing and future active transportation facilities,” Irani added.

“The overpass would enhance the options for sustainable transportation in the city and would improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists crossing Summit Drive as is commonly observed by the City and TRU.”

The second project the City applied for is the $6-million Summit multi-use path at a cost of $6-million. This two-way path, which would be integrated with the overpass, will be between three and four four metres wide, separated from vehicles by a barrier.

“Going north, from the overpass, we would like to go all the way to Fernie Road which would be the Summit Drive multi use pathway. And south of the bridge, we would go all the way to McGill Road,” Irani said. “There would be a shared multi-use pathway on the east side.”

Irani says in this case, the government grant will cover $3.6 million, with the city responsible for the remaining $2.4 million.

Council was unanimous in voting to move forward with the grant application to fund the two projects.

“Once you get on to the TRU campus, it’s very safe to cycle but currently, either coming off the Xget’tem’ trail or coming off the route from downtown, it is – to put it mildly – deadly, Councillor Kathy Sinclair said.

“I hope there are no accidents in that area. But we’re unable to bike on the sidewalk and cycling on those streets is just not safe. So I do support this.”

Councillors Bill Sarai and Mike O’Reilly too said while they support the project, they would be apprehensive about moving forward without grant funding, owing to the cost to taxpayers. Without this grant, the City would be responsible for $5-million of the cost for the Summit Drive overpass with TRU contributing the other 50 per cent, though funding would not be available until 2027.

The City would also be required to pay the full $6-million cost of the Summit multi-use path, unless other grants are available.

If the grant funding application is successful, the projects will need to be completed by March 31, 2026.

Staff said if the applications are not approved, they will return to council for direction as a motion to move forward without grant funding was defeated.