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Petition
Presented May 8, 2008
There is a need for a Torbay Bypass Road
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MR. SPEAKER: The
hon. the Member for Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
I have a petition to
present and I guess it is in relation to the questions I
asked the minister today. The petition reads,
WHEREAS
there is a need for a Torbay Bypass Road; and
WHEREAS
the route proposed by government will cause safety
problems and create increased traffic congestion; and
WHEREUPON
the undersigned, your petitioners, call upon all members
of the House of Assembly to urge government to
reconsider the route being proposed for the Torbay
Bypass Road.
Mr. Speaker, I have
petitions here signed by the residents of Torbay and
Bauline Line, Torbay and Pouch Cove, and Middle Cove, I
think.
Mr. Speaker, the
questions they are asking - they know that this road is
well underway of being constructed. What they are asking
government, is wondering if the route can be changed to
start at the limits of the City of St. John’s, which
will take the route two kilometres which is going to go
through the Town of Torbay. That is the concern of the
residents.
I know when they had the
information session there, the engineers did outline
some reasons for the route, the way it is going. One of
the concerns that they raised was the watershed area,
but the people are saying that Bay Bulls–Big Pond and
Windsor Lake are close to highways as well.
The other issue was with
regard to possible expansion to the St. John’s
airport, even though there is no request for it now, and
the landscape, they thought, was fairly hilly and would
be too steep for vehicular traffic. The residents are
saying, if that is the case, how would you be able to
extend the airport if the terrain is not suitable for a
road?
Anyway, Mr. Speaker, they
have made their concerns about it, and they have asked
us to bring forth the petitions as I presented today.
Like I stated earlier, the concern is, there are 215
residents in that immediate area and they are saying at
peak times now there is major congestion there, and they
believe that this will create more problems.
I am just asking
government, through the minister - and I appreciate her
answers today - to reconsider the route, and hopefully
the Torbay Bypass Road will totally bypass the Town of
Torbay and take the route that was proposed at this
public meeting.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. |
