Traffic signals are active at two intersections in Princeton, helping regulate increased traffic in the region and improve safety for travellers.

Two new signals have been installed at the intersections of Highway 3 and Highway 5A, and Highway 5A and Bridge Street. Highway lighting has been added between the new signals and the lanes on Highway 5A at Bridge Street have been modified to allow a northbound right-turn lane.

“The community asked for help, and our government is committed to keeping people safe. These intersection improvements will do exactly that for people living in and around Princeton, and all of our highway travellers,” said Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, on behalf of Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “We all have seen that temporary and emergency changes to highway flows can dramatically increase traffic and congestion in Princeton. I want to thank Spencer Coyne, mayor of Princeton, for his advocacy and willingness to work together to find lasting solutions that we can implement to make us all a little safer and more secure.”

The improvements will also help manage increased traffic resulting from periodic highway closures in the region due to events such as severe winter storms, wildfires and flooding. As highways 3 and 5A meet with Bridge Street, the main downtown street in Princeton, additional traffic-control measures are required to ensure the safety of residents and travellers.

“The new traffic lights for these intersections are a huge sigh of relief,” Coyne said. “We want to thank the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for coming up with a solution so quickly and before the Family Day weekend. We believe that the new lights will make it safer to drive and walk across the busy intersections.”

Additional enhancements will be finished this spring, such as upgrading to fibre optics, improving the accessibility of the sidewalks and applying permanent line painting,

The project is being completed by Westcana Electric Inc., the ministry’s regional electrical services contractor.