From the roundabout onwards, there are no sidewalks, so there is not enough walkable space for even able-bodied people to get through this section of the road, let alone anyone with disabilities. There is nowhere for one to avoid traffic without walking in the ditch.
For those with mobility issues, the barriers are many. Lack of sidewalk, lack of space to even walk, and if someone is biking, there isn’t enough room to yield safely, without traffic being a potential hazard. Anyone with a mobility disability will not be able to move through this area without great risk to themselves and others, as there is no room to walk in. The desired 8-foot distance between foot traffic and vehicle traffic is not observed in this area. Those with visual impairments are at great risk in this area; those who are able-bodied, even, are at risk, due to oncoming traffic along East Shuswap Road speeding down this part and only slowing down at the roundabout. There are uneven surfaces for those who may be wheelchair or mobility chair bound, making traversing this area very risky for them. From the “Age Care” at Sun River’s onwards, there are no sidewalks observed for any elderly to walk upon, or use their wheelchairs safely through, without great risk to themselves, as it’s downhill from the Care center, no sidewalks from the center, to along Shushwap road.
It is important to note, many areas in Kamloops lack universal design, and it’s especially true for the reserve, but there are factors as to why it’s not such a straightforward process. This area runs through federal and provincial jurisdictions along the Reserve and the Provincial highways/roads, such as the Yellowhead Highway and East Shuswap road, provide bureaucratic roadblocks to work through each area’s jurisdiction; as the province handles the highways and roads leading out of reserves, but every other road, falls under the Reserve’s jurisdiction. Reservation lands themselves, such as the roads along the reserve, and those that lead into the reserve, are Federal, and thus fall under Tk’emlups te Secw’epmecw federal jurisdiction.
Hence why the accessibility of these areas is contentious and seemingly unregulated due to the process of dealing with both federal and municipal jurisdictions.”
