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MHA Sweeney expresses displeasure with
sparse road work funding George Sweeney, MHA for the District of Carbonear-Harbour Grace, expresses displeasure with the sparse amount of money that government recently allocated for road work along Route 70, calling it totally inadequate and offensive. Government announced $170,000 for the re-surfacing of a section of Route 70 between the Town of Victoria and the Town of Salmon Cove. The funding will only cover a 1 km stretch, leaving the remaining 2.1 km still in poor shape. "I am not very happy with such a skimpy amount to fund for such a major road ," says Sweeney. "This highway has a large volume of traffic from the North Shore area. Heavy commercial vehicles, school buses and emergency vehicles all travel along this route and as more time goes by, this already deplorable road will only worsen." The Liberal MHA also points out that with the tourism season fast approaching, the deteriorating state of the road will only act as a deterrent to travel in the area creating more hardship for people."This government keeps boasting about the unprecedented budget of $66.5 million and yet, could not find a bit more funding to complete another few more kilometers of this major stretch of road, not just for residents but to encourage tourist traffic." Sweeney says that despite the larger provincial road budget, the transportation department only allocated $750,000 between his district and that of the Liberal district of Port de Grave. "Clearly, the minister is not familiar with these areas and has shown no concern for the fact that area is trying to grow and that it takes good roads and infrastructure. Our residents pay a high price to use these roads, including high gas prices and taxes, as well as costly vehicle renewal permits and they deserve better than this." The MHA says he joins with the deputy mayor of the Town of Salmon Cove, Roy Rose, who has written the minister of transportation to not only convey displeasure with the inadequate funding, but to call upon the minister to reconsider the decision and resurface the entire 3.1 km stretch.
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