Changes Coming To Highway 97 And 22nd Ave

PRINCE GEORGE – A project being undertaken by the Ministry of Transportation garnered much discussion around Council Chambers. The Province will be adding advanced left-hand turn signals at 22nd Avenue at Highway 97 and will close the northbound lane of Westwood Drive in front of the BC Hydro offices. The southbound lane heading toward the Pine Centre Mall will remain open.

Last month, the ministry put up a fence down the middle of the highway from 22nd Avenue to 18th Avenue to deter pedestrians from running across the highway, forcing pedestrians to the 22nd Avenue intersection. 

A traffic count found that 1,800 cars travel head northbound on Westwood and 600 cars travel southbound. Also, about two thousand vehicles travel on 22nd Avenue per day.
Many of the Councillors questioned the need to redirect traffic to another area of the city.

“I’m so grateful this is being dealt with. [This intersection] has been an issue for many years,” stated Councillor Terri McConnachie.