Cape Breton Post

Ladies lead the way

Women’s group leading charge to repave road.

- BY CAPE BRETON POST STAFF

It’s springtime in Cape Breton and that means one of the biggest concerns on the minds of local residents is the condition of their local roadways.

For members of the Homeville Women’s Institute, their attention is focused on the condition of Hornes Road which runs between Albert Bridge and Mira Gut.

“The delay is now our big concern. The delay in paving this road,” explains institute member Jean MacQueen, a 57year resident of nearby Round Island.

“I’m not sure how but we will continue to apply pressure to have this situation corrected. We don’t give up easily.” Jean MacQueen

The 10-kilometre stretch of road is now of patchwork of cracked and eroding asphalt along with crumbling road shoulders, upheavals, and potholes.

“It is a dangerous situation that is only becoming worst,” said MacQueen, vowing that institute members will be lobbying anyone and everyone until the road is properly repaved.

Of major concern, said MacQueen, is the increase in traffic the road will carry during the summer months as hundreds of area residents return to their cottages along the scenic Mira River.

Also, she said, there will be an increased volume of young drivers taking the road which leads to the wildly popular beach area at Mira Gut.

“There will be many young, inexperien­ced drivers taking that road in the summer and it will be a problem for them,” said MacQween, adding her group members only hope a tragedy doesn’t occur before the road is repaired.

Also, said MacQueen, local residents are already footing the bills for damage to their vehicles because of the condition of the road.

While there is no estimate on the price road users pay in Canada on damages from potholes and other poor roadway conditions, the American Automobile Associatio­n indicates it’s a $3-billion annual repair bill for citizens of the United States.

The Canadian Automobile Associatio­n is now reported to be in the process of carrying out its own examinatio­n of the problem.

MacQueen said local local residents have been told for years the project is on the provincial repair list but she wonders who is in charge of the list and just where does Hornes Road stand in terms of priority.

In looking at the five-year plan on highway projects for the Department of Transporta- tion and Infrastruc­ture Renewal, Hornes Road is not mentioned.

The plan, available on the department’s website, list projects running into 2020, from major constructi­on efforts to asphalt repaving and bridge repair.

“I’m not sure how but we will continue to apply pressure to have this situation corrected. We don’t give up easily,” said a determined MacQueen.

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 ?? CAPE BRETON POST PHOTO ?? Marilyn Cathcart, left, and Jean MacQueen are anxious to see Hornes Road in Albert Bridge repaved this year, in a bid to prevent what they consider a tragedy in waiting. The two are members of the Homeville Women’s Institute and plan on making the...
CAPE BRETON POST PHOTO Marilyn Cathcart, left, and Jean MacQueen are anxious to see Hornes Road in Albert Bridge repaved this year, in a bid to prevent what they consider a tragedy in waiting. The two are members of the Homeville Women’s Institute and plan on making the...
 ?? CAPE BRETON POST PHOTO ?? Crumbling asphalt and road shoulders, potholes and bumps are only a few of the words that can be used to describe the current conditions of Hornes Road in Albert Bridge. A community group is leading the charge to have the road repaved in hopes of...
CAPE BRETON POST PHOTO Crumbling asphalt and road shoulders, potholes and bumps are only a few of the words that can be used to describe the current conditions of Hornes Road in Albert Bridge. A community group is leading the charge to have the road repaved in hopes of...

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