Mayor finds rock solid reasons province should fix Highway 49
Administrator | Feb 18, 2016 | Comments 24
Mayor Robert Quaiff will be looking to have another conversation about the poor state of Highway 49 when attends the combined Ontario Good Roads Association / Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference next week.
It was last April when Quaiff first showed a video of the crumbling highway, and he stressed pressure on the road had increased due to the reduction in service by the Glenora Ferry.
Thursday morning, on his way to a social services meeting in Napanee, he stopped to pick up three blocks of concrete he spotted on, and beside, the shoulder of the road.
“I came across these chunks of concrete – two were still on the road, while the largest piece was on the shoulder,” said Quaiff. “Imagine a large truck striking a piece and propelling it into an oncoming vehicle.”
Two weeks ago the County learned it was denied a funding request by the province for repairs to the road because it didn’t meet the component of “critical health and safety” factor.
At the conference, the mayor, along with officials from Wolfe and Amherst islands are already meeting with Transportation Minister Stephen Del Duca to discuss the proposal to get another ferry to serve the three areas.
Given opportunity, the mayor is now armed with more evidence of the need to fix Highway 49. There are 3,100 to 4,200 vehicles travelling that highway every day, according to 2012 figures.
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Admin why do some of my posts show as only Paul and some as Paul Cole ? Could you change this so my posts show with my full name Paul Cole ? Thanks
There should be recall legislation in Ontario however there is a tool called the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act I’m no legal expert but Councilors voting on possibly eliminating their seat at the council table maybe a conflict of interest..
I get your point Paul on 49. I think attempting to provide residents voter equity was very important. The outcome was and is a very disappointing result.
And no Chuck council shouldn’t borrow $20M to fix it but over 10 years and sections at a time maybe it would have been manageable ya think Chuck ?
You have to admit Chuck council’s past and present have been kept busy dealing with council size (how many years) and windmill groups fighting windmills. Look at all the water main failures the state of our roads and streets. Again Nero fiddled while Rome burned some would say in an attempt to re create the city hmmm ???
On the back burner? Do you think Council should have borrowed $20,000,000 and got it done?
You mean like 49 has been ignored Chuck ? Wonder what else is on the back burner.
Just because County Rd. 49 (It’s not a highway thanks to Harris) is falling apart is no reason to abandon the turbine fight or ignore residents democratic Council representation.
This is comical hiway 49 has been deteriorating for many years. However some things have gone un noticed while Nero fiddled and grappled with windmills and council size. Money went to new gas tanks to fill tourists boats and windmill defense funds. All while 49 burned 😉
The praise he provided the Commissioner in her attempt to provide policy that dodges an OMB was over the top! Ask the McFarland Home Residents Council for an opinion!
I like Quaiff most of the time, but I haven’t been impressed by his performance lately. The most recent are his actions around the development charges – the new provincial law regulating the process and timing were known months ago – and yet our council decided to ignore them, placing us in conflict and another possible OMB hearing – the second such conflict in a month. Now he thinks he is accomplishing something having a photo-op with chunks of concrete. What is needed is leadership and guiding his council into making good decisions in a timely manner. Let’s hope this starts soon – we have 3 more years left in this term of office.
The road was well built. The cement plant that provided material is now pounding it to death with the trucks. Seems like more trucks than a few years ago. Mike Harris handed the road over with some seed $ just prior to it requiring major replacement.
Way to go Mayor Robert Quaiff!!!!
It was/is a truly amazing road. What others have ever been built that lasted so many year ( I believe 30) before needling any touch up and repair considering heavy traffic of the plant that originally supplied contents of it.
Great example how roads should of been built
We just continue to ask and ask for more like there is no end to the $ train. The province is $300,000,000,000 in debt. That’s our debt, our childrens debt.
Our Mayor didn’t cause the problems, but it’s his job now to fight to fix the roads, and not only 49..
As a community we need to start to pull together even more and work to vet come these opportunities. If enough people start to petition the provincial people responsible for saying no and we can rally together , they have already said no,,,,,, let’s make sure they don’t want visitors coming here and then the hardships created from that will outweigh just a bad road
The county should of had money put aside to fix this road considering it didn’t cost them anything to put in, HJ McFarland donated it.
Those rocks are heavy suckers to lift and load … too bad he couldn’t lift and load the holes for all to see. (a couple of pics works). Mayor on mission to make a difference. My bet is on the mayor.
I guess the County owns the road now so why not post it as “Travel at own Risk” or close it entirely to local traffic only. County could be facing legal costs or worse if it’s condition can be proven responsible for a serious accident resulting in deaths…think about it. It’s a tourist route from Ottawa, Montreal, points east.
Ah the Tories! Amalgamations & Downloads. Stuck the big knife in our hospital.
Well what’s missing in all this is acknowledging that the Harris government downloaded all these costs to the municipalities in the 90’s. Still feeling that Conservative vibe, Mr. Quaiff?
If you are travelling to Kingston for cardiac care. They are advising a different route other that 49. The quality of this road has thrown the rhythm of pacemakers off. That info came from a cardiac care RN. pls fix this asap
Not shame on you Mayor Quaiff, kudos to you- shame on those not seeing the need to restore the highway!!!
I travel this hwy everyday to provide services to the people of the county. 3 weeks ago I was travelling to work as usual when out of the blue I “hit” something, turns out I hit a pot hole that was filled with asphalt , and a huge chunk came up and bent my sway bar- I tried continuing on my way and my alignment was off, I was going into on coming traffic, I ended up travelling the rest of the way on the shoulder doing 40km/hr- people wonder how head on collisions happen, blame texting automatically – this made me really think there are other reasons , preventable , the highway needs attention , more lives will be taken, not because of texting, because Of patching and ignoring ! Shame on you!