[getsmart-l] Bradford bypass not in province's plans

[Janet May]

From:  http://www.yorkregion.com/article/72597

 

Bradford bypass not in plans 

 

Apr 05, 2008 08:29 AM 

Plus, Hwy. 404 won't go north of Ravenshoe 
By: Sean Pearce 

The province has threatened York Region's economic viability by excluding
plans to build the Bradford bypass, critics charged this week.

Despite the bypass being pegged a necessity by a Ministry of Transportation
study that called for the route's construction to be completed by 2021, the
province has eliminated it from its plans. 

"If we don't plan congestion relief, such as the Bradford bypass and if we
don't see them becoming a reality, I really don't know what's going to
happen. Our quality of life is already suffering and our economic quality of
life is next; we can't just make the assumption that people will continue to
cope with it," Newmarket-Aurora MPP Frank Klees said.

The fact the route isn't even on the map, quite literally, in the province's
Places to Grow legislation is simply unacceptable, York chairperson Bill
Fisch charged.

Long delays in planning for the construction of the bypass have led to
increased traffic congestion on arterial roads and a constant overburdening
of concessions, sideroads and other rural routes that were never designed to
handle high volumes of traffic they now must accommodate on a daily basis,
Mr. Fisch said.

The route is more of a necessity now than ever and one that can't afford to
remain in legislative limbo much longer, he added.

Based on provincial growth forecasts alone, the need for the bypass is
greater now than it was even a decade ago, not to mention 30 years ago when
the highway was introduced as a necessary solution, he said. 

The province identified the need for a highway linking Hwy. 400 and Hwy. 404
in the late 1970s and, over the past three decades, the area has been
protected from development and subject to a number of environmental
assessments.

The region is requesting the province include the highway in its plans and
commit a firm schedule to ensure the road's eventual completion. 

Moving ahead on the Bradford bypass will allow East Gwillimbury, Georgina
and York Region to prepare more complete and effective plans for future
growth, York Region's planning and economic development committee
chairperson Tony Wong said. 

Industrial and commercial developments can go ahead, creating jobs and more
complete community plans can be developed in Holland Landing, Sharon,
Queensville and Georgina, he added.

"This government only appears to respond to pressure and if we don't apply
that pressure on this government (the bypass) will keep getting put off into
some other hypothetical time period," Mr. Klees said. 

The traffic situation may only get worse in the years to come as current
provincial plans have provided for the extension of Hwy. 404 from Green Lane
to Ravenshoe Road, but not beyond, as had originally been intended. 

That extension, like the bypass, seems to be yet another casualty of the
Growth Plan.

Calls to the Public Infrastucture Renewal Ministry were not returned.

Have your say

*	Public Infrastructure Renewal Ministry at pir.gov.on.ca;
placestogrow.ca or e-mail info.pir at ontario.ca; 416-325-0424
*	Transportation Ministry at mto.gov.on.ca or
www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/feedback/mtoinfo.htm; 416-325-4686
*	Municipal Affairs and Housing Ministry at mah.gov.on.ca or e-mail
mininfo.mah at ontario.ca; 416-585-7041

 

 



 

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