County supports advocacy for truck bypass

January 17, 2019 · 0 Comments

Written By JASEN OBERMEYER

It’s been grinding the town’s gears for sometime, and now, Shelburne is renewing its advocacy efforts to the Ontario government for implementing a truck bypass route to relieve pressure on the downtown core.

“This is not a new issue for Shelburne,” says Mayor Wade Mills. “It’s one that’s been on our radar (for many years).”

He says with the town’s rapid growth and the downtown being the convergence of two main provincial highways, 10 and 89, the issue has been growing amongst residents, harming the downtown feel they are trying to create. “It’s having a negative impact on the whole downtown core, in terms of noise, in terms of fumes, in terms of safety for our residents. As traffic increases, and as our population is growing, it’s just compounding a larger problem than it’s ever been.”

At county council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 10, Mayor Mills’ motion asking for the county’s support in the truck bypass route was unanimously approved by members of council. The matter has also been referred to the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Committee to consider whether any county assistance or support can be offered.

The mayor will be meeting with the minister of transportation later in the month. “If we’re able to secure that delegation, I’d like to be able to go armed with the resolution from this council to say that this body supports the motion in principle.”

Asked on some possibilities where the bypass would go, Mayor Mills says south around town through Amaranth, or north through Melancthon, which was another reason to bring it to county council. “Regardless of which route we use, it’s necessarily going to impact one of our neighbouring municipality’s, so we might as well put it out on the table and have that discussion at this level, and see if we can find some common ground.”