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Letter: Prioritize frontage road maintenance at Balmoral/Highway 1 intersection

Reader says roads, underpasses being treated as before reconfiguration
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On Dec. 7, 2019, facilitated by Columbia Shuswap Regional District open houses, an issue was raised to AIM Roads’ contractor on winter maintenance of area roads, regarding specifications and priority system regarding frontage roads and underpasses for Balmoral users going eastward.

AIM responded by saying no specific direction had been issued. CSRD thought it was to be treated as an on-ramp to the Trans-Canada Highway. After a week of waiting, I raised the issue directly with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI), who responded quickly on Dec. 12. It said the frontage roads and underpasses will be treated as before, with no classification or priority change, after its recent completion of the project.

Read more: Letter: Balmoral/Highway 1 intersection fix a dangerous fail

Read more: Letter: Balmoral Road/Highway 1 intersection “improvements” don’t impress

I was part of a Balmoral Intersection Safety Committee until Nov. 28; after which I resigned to work independently on this matter. During a Nov. 27 meeting, neither CSRD nor MOTI offered any positive dialogue to support the goal of the committee to advocate for an underpass in the Balmoral/Notch Hill area.

The affected area represents close to 2,500 citizens, likely more. MOTI told me it does not weigh much on population, as it would on traffic counts. We have not seen any transparency as to recent counts.

Get involved, especially Blind Bay and Eagle Bay users; write Transporation Minister Claire Trevena and let her know your feelings, with respect to our safe access needs going eastward. Look for a petition to be available for your consideration when spring approaches.

Fred Wilcox

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