Serious Crash Meadowlark and Highway 97

ExNews.net
33 minutes ago
2 min read

Vernon BC, November 26 2025 - Once again, emergency crews were called to a serious accident at the intersection of Highway 97 and Meadowlark Road, just north of Vernon.

Once again people were taken from the scene by BC ambulance. The incident occurred approximately 8 am this morning and appeared to involve 2 vehicles.

According to ICBC data for 2020–2024 (not including 2025), the Meadowlark/Highway 97 intersection has seen:

22 total crashes
8 casualty crashes (ICBC does not list how many people were hurt in each incident; some collisions involve more than one injured person, including today’s.)

Despite the severity often seen at Meadowlark — largely because of the highway speeds involved — it is not Vernon’s most crash-prone intersection.

Vernon’s top crash locations (ICBC 2020–2024)

Most total crashes:

214 crashes – 25 Ave & 32 St & Mall Access– 54 injury crashes

Second-highest (total):

202 crashes – 32 St & 43 Ave– Also Vernon’s #1 intersection for injury crashes with 70.

Third-highest (total):

158 crashes – 27 St & 48 Ave– 65 injury crashes.

Who is responsible for Meadowlark & Highway 97?

Responsibility for Highway 97, including the Meadowlark intersection, lies with the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI).MoTI owns and operates the corridor, including all traffic control decisions, signal approvals, and long-term planning. Day-to-day maintenance such as plowing, sanding, and pothole repair is handled under provincial contract by AIM Roads Inc.

MoTI is also responsible for Highway 97 as it runs through Vernon, including:

27th Street (Highway 97)
32nd Street (Highway 97)
All traffic lights, signal timing, and major upgrades along these routes.

How MoTI decides whether an intersection gets a traffic light or roundabout

MoTI follows the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) Traffic Signal Warrants and its own provincial policies. A new signal is normally approved only when the data meets one or more formal thresholds.

Key criteria include:

Minimum vehicular volumes on both the highway and side road.
Excessive delays to side-road traffic.
Four-hour or eight-hour combined traffic volume warrants.
Pedestrian volume warrants, including school-area considerations.
Crash history warrant – usually requires about five preventable collisions in 12 months, plus sufficient traffic volumes.
Network/coordination needs – ensuring signals along 27th/32nd Street operate smoothly together.