Check out Kelowna’s newest protected bike route

A major gap in the city’s cycle infrastructure has opened, connecting downtown to Lower Mission and the Mission Creek Greenway.

The Casorso Active Transportation Corridor (ATC) runs from K.L.O Road near Okanagan College (OC) to Barrera Road.

“Kelowna is growing, and our transportation needs are evolving. Investing in active transportation allows us to encourage more sustainable trips to move around our city,” Mayor Tom Dyas said in a press release.

The new route provides an easy path down Ethel Street to the Pandosy Urban Centre, OC, Casorso Elementary School, and Rotary Beach Park.

In 2023, the city added just over 1.5 km of bike routes. It now extends north to UBCO and the airport, east to Rutland Road, and south to the H2O Centre.

Feedback from residents helped shape the project, including adjusting the designs to keep more parking, and working with the parent advisory committee to address concerns about pick-up and drop off.

The city’s long-term planning documents detail the need to expand the ATC network to take action on climate change to reduce carbon emissions, build healthy neighbourhoods, embrace diverse transportation options and reduce Kelowna’s car dependence.