Closure of North Perimeter Highway intersection not sitting well with some residents
A group of West St. Paul residents are blocking the East Holmes road access point along the North Perimeter Highway in protest.
The road was slated to be closed by the province due to safety concerns, but West St. Paul local Maria Rodrigues said the road is used by almost everyone in the area.
“Manitoba Infrastructure is deeming this one of the most dangerous, so now we are being directed to go down Holmes, down a gravel road.”
Rodrigues said the closure has caused Holmes road to see a huge uptick in traffic at peak times of the day.
She believes the access closure has made roads in the area more dangerous.
“Have a safety plan in place before you create more danger. Pave Holmes,” said Rodrigues.
Phase two of the Province’s Perimeter Safety Review was released in the spring. It identified multiple access points along the North Perimeter that needed to be removed or updated.
Manitoba Minister of Infrastructure Ron Schuler said the East Holmes road access point was flagged by traffic engineers as one of the most dangerous.
“I understand that there is inconvenience…we all understand that we’re going to have to change our driving behaviour, but it’s irresponsible to say, ‘because I’m inconvenienced, you should be willing to risk your life.’”
Schuler said last week the East Holmes access blockade stopped construction crews from doing work on the road.
He said these uncontrolled points will all be addressed in the near future.
“We are almost down to 21 uncontrolled intersections, over the next year we hope to reduce that substantially, within three years we will have them hopefully all removed.”
Schuler said during the public engagement phase of the Perimeter Safety Review, more than 80 per cent of the people who responded said the safety changes were necessary.
On Tuesday, the RM of West St. Paul council had a meeting with Minister Schuler to discuss some of the issued being raised by the community.
Mayor Cheryl Christian said the province is still committed to closing all uncontrolled access points, but it will be making improvements to Holmes road.
“Those improvements include four additional inches of gravel, with liquid calcium added in the fall (in the) short term,” said Christian.
"Long term hopefully next year, they’ll be looking at paving…Holmes, and widening Holmes.”
Rodrigues said the community is not against removing all access points.
“But in this area, this access needs to stay.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Thieves use stolen forklift to rip cash machine out of U.K. bank
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
'There was a lot of black smoke': Crane operator sounds alarm while trapped during highrise fire in Halifax
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.