The city is proceeding with a feasibility study for a safe public railway crossing along Salmon Arm's foreshore trail.
At its May 12 meeting, city council voted in support of a motion to award Gentech Engineering Inc. the task of completing an "active transportation at-grade rail crossing feasibility study" and preliminary design for $39,345 plus taxes. This work will focus on creating a safe public access alternative at the north end of the trail in Raven.
A request for proposal for the feasibility study/preliminary design work was issued by the city on March 14, 2025, and seven proposals were received, with prices ranging from $19,048 to $57,853. Council approved a budget of $40,000 in the 2025 budget to support the project.
Staff had proposed the study would consider three locations, including the private driveway crossing at 47th Avenue NE. However, engineering manager Jennifer Wilson told council that after issuing the RFP and further discussion with CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City), the project may see a "reduced scope for the preliminary engineering work" that will focus on one trail option.
"Any scope reductions in that work, we can tack on to advancing any detailed design work to keep this project rolling," said Wilson.
After a location is chosen, a preliminary design will be completed along with a Class ‘C’ cost estimate.
A written staff report provided some historical background on the foreshore trail and crossing, noting the former was constructed in the early 2000s from the east end of Harbourfront Drive to the unopened road right-of-way at 47th Avenue NE.
"A private crossing of the CPKC railway exists at Mile 60.81 in the Shuswap Subdivision, within the road right-of-way of 47 Avenue NE servicing a private residential property located at 1031 47 Avenue NE," reads the staff report. "While the trail is fenced with a gate and the crossing signed as a private crossing, many active transportation users use the private crossing to access the foreshore trail illegally."
Under new federal transport regulations put in place in 2021, all rail crossings had to be in compliance by 2024. Staff had discussions with CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) about safety concerns for "trail users accessing the trail system by way of the private driveway."
"CPKC approached the City in 2024 requesting a crossing agreement at this location," reported staff. "The agreement would have required substantial rail signal and safety improvements due to insufficient sightlines for active transportation use.
"The City chose to investigate other potential locations for an active transportation at-grade crossing that would better meet Transport Canada’s safety regulations, potentially avoiding major capital investment."
Asked about a timeline, Wilson said staff would have a much better idea after the preliminary design is done.
"Ultimately staff will bring something forward to council when the project is done," said Wilson. "If council wishes to advance it quicker that would be fine but otherwise we’d be aiming to put it into the 2026 budget."
Wilson said people are still using the crossing and, as far as she knew, it had not yet been decommissioned by CPKC.
"We do have several locations throughout where people do choose to get to the other side of the tracks without a safe and sanctioned crossing," said Wilson.
Mayor Alan Harrison noted the city has money budgeted – $121,234 – for railroad grade crossings. He said the city has received "lots of input from the public around this crossing," and that "it certainly is our intention… to find a safe and affordable crossing."
"The challenge… is that the tracks, there’s a curve in the tracks as you approach that crossing, so Transport Canada has regulations that they pass on to CPKC that they pass onto the city," said Harrison. "If we were to take that on that would cost at least $750,000 to make it safe, and that’s probably a modest amount. So we’re looking to find a safe and affordable crossing that is not going to cost the taxpayers of Salmon Arm that much and this is the start to it."
