Ladies lead the way
Women’s group leading charge to repave road.
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.