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October/November
2000 Newsletter
Expressway
Bill Rising
In
addition to the huge cleanup costs of landfills north of
the CNR, tax dollars are also flowing down the expressway
pit at the other end of the Region's "east-west north-south
transportation corridor". Contracts are now being let for
$14 million to build a new interchange between the Linc
and the 403.
The
Spectator reported that "The need for an improved
intersection has been obvious since the day the Linc opened".
In fact, the need for this interchange was identified years
earlier by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, but regional
officials decided to ignore their advice.
MTO officials warned that the old Mohawk Road/403 interchange
would not suffice for a connection between two expressways
(the Linc and the 403). But instead of listening, regional
road planners rushed ahead to "complete" the Linc in time
for an opening three weeks before the 1997 municipal elections.
It was great publicity for Mountain councillors who lavishly
praised themselves for "delivering" the expressway. As a
result, motorists have had to put up with a frustrating
and dangerous situation for three years, and will have to
put up with it for at least two more until the new interchange
is built.
Friends
of Red Hill has been warning for years that the total
costs of the expressway have been underestimated by the
Region, and we are being proven correct.
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