Whether it is the Niagara to GTA corridor planning or the proposed Highway 6 bypass in Morriston, transportation continues to be an issue here.
On June 6, Puslinch councillors reviewed documents including minutes from the May Niagara to GTA corridor advisory group meeting, plus information sent by project administrator Trish Martin in regard to potential expansion alternatives. Puslinch Mayor Dennis Lever said in some of the documents regarding the GTA corridor, there was reference to a new connector from the Hamilton 403 West to Highway 401. Part of that area for further study of an alternative route includes Puslinch. “It sounds remarkably like a new name for the proposed Highway 424,” he said.
Lever said the documents did not offer more information other than the alternative should be pursued.
Next up was correspondence from business owner William Knetsch regarding the proposed Highway 6 bypass of Morriston. He said the bypass has been in the works for about 30 years – but always ends up on the backburner.
He said the Morriston corridor is in the centre of an industrial hub in southern Ontario and it is a provincial responsibility to create proper and safe roads. He contends the road in Morriston was not designed for the current traffic load, and traffic itself is having a detrimental effect on the historic buildings next to the road.
The response from Ministry of Transportation regional director Ann Baldwin was, “Given the province’s fiscal situation, only highway expansion with a transit component are being programmed at this time. Although this project is not currently funded, the ministry will continue to move this project forward through completion of a number of pre-construction activities. The ministry designated a new route for a Morriston bypass in order to protect the required property from development.” She added, “In the short term, the ministry is working to improve traffic safety and operations in Morriston. Improvement to traffic signals have been made and an extension to the eastbound off-ramp at the Highway 401 interchange is planned to be constructed later this summer.”
She said MTO staff is working with the community to establish a community safety zone within Morriston.
