The Official Opposition is calling on the Conservative Government to improve communication and planning following a weekend of heavy traffic backlogs that left thousands of motorists stranded for hours on roads across the northeast Avalon.
Residents attempting to travel between Conception Bay South, Holyrood, and St. John’s faced extensive delays as simultaneous construction projects on the Trans-Canada Highway, Route 60, and the Witless Bay Line created gridlock throughout the region.
While the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has finally acknowledged that pavement cuts contributed to the problem and says corrective action has been taken, the response came far too late for the thousands of people who spent hours sitting in traffic with little information and no clear alternate routes.
There has been no adequate explanation as to why these deep and numerous pavement cuts were used instead of other traffic calming options to protect the safety of crews, especially during times when crews were not working.
“People understand that roadwork needs to happen, and they support investments in infrastructure and improved roads,” says Opposition Leader John Hogan. “What they do not understand is how multiple major construction projects can proceed simultaneously without adequate planning, coordination, or a complete lack of communication with the public.”
Further, the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Barry Petten, was completely absent throughout the ordeal, with only a brief written statement issued late Sunday night after public frustration had already reached a boiling point. CBC Newfoundland and Labrador confirmed that the minister declined an interview, and was out of the country during the weekend’s events.
“Newfoundlanders and Labradorians deserve more than a short statement after the fact,” says Transportation and Infrastructure critic, Jamie Korab. “When thousands of people are stuck in traffic for hours, government needs to be visible, proactive, and communicating in real time. Instead, thousands of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were left searching social media for answers. Minister Petten has been busy cancelling projects, but is nowhere to be seen when it comes to managing the consequences of his department’s decisions.”
The Official Opposition is urging the Conservative government to conduct a review of the planning and coordination surrounding highway and road projects and to develop a traffic management and communications strategy for future construction work on major roadways.
“Better planning, better coordination, and far better communication could have prevented much of the frustration experienced this weekend,” says Opposition Leader John Hogan. “Government must learn from this situation, work with contractors and municipalities, and find practical solutions that keep critical infrastructure projects moving while minimizing the impact on Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.”
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