Update October
2001
The ongoing improvements to Route #4 are making the drive much safer, as
well as adding to the beautiful view of the Bras d'Or Lake. It is my
understanding that these improvemnets will continue in various phases over
the next couple of years.
Certainly the many people who have signed a petition and lobbied for
improvements on Highway 4 are thankful the government has finally
announced that tenders will be called for work on the highway. As
indicated in the news release in the Aug. 3 Cape Breton Post (Highway 4 to
Receive Major Upgrading), the project will take in 6.1 km.
We certainly agree with the minister in hoping that this years's
improvements are just a beginning; the condition of the highway is
dangerous. Hardly a week goes by that we don't receive one or more calls
from travellers upset with the potholes, cracked pavement, narrow road and
low shoulders.
Even Post columnist Leroy Peach commented on the disgraceful condition
of
Highway 4 in his article of Aug 6, while also indicating that we have been
short-changed in Cape Breton when it comes to appropriate road
improvements. Anyone who has recently made a road trip on the major
routes across Canada is not likely to have travelled over such an
extensive section of main road in comparable disrepair.
So even though our natural scenic beauty here is a precious,
life-giving
gift, highway improvements are a must, and we thank God that our
government is finally listening to the pleading of taxpayers regarding
Highway 4 upgrading. We thank all who have voiced their concern to
government over the last number of years, especially the thousands of
people who signed the petition last year asking for upgrading, and we
applaud our MLA's efforts on this project.
Respectfully submitted,
Ivan and Viola Doncaster, East Bay, CB
That was the message delivered during a provincial cabinet ministers panel
discussion on the opening day of the 92nd annual meeting of the Union of
Nova Scotia Municipalities (UNSM).
...
Councillor Ivan Doncaster, of Cape Breton, and Pictou County councillor
Eileen MacKinnon both waited in line to ask Transportation and Public
Works Minister Don Downe how he planned to fix the sorry state of
provincial highways.
Doncaster referred to the narrow and collapsing Route 4 - which stretches
from Sydney River to St. Peter's - and one which many delegates would have
taken in coming to Sydney.
Downe drove the route Wednesday with his regional engineer and agreed it
is in bad need of repair and that it is one of many on the priority
list.
He also said Nova Scotians can expect another round of paving
announcements this fall along with further assessments of priorities.
He noted that his department estimated that to bring all the roads in Cape
Breton up to an acceptable standard it would require spending $500 million
over five years.
Nova Scotia is home to 26,000 kilometers of asphalt and gravel roads; so
far this year, said Downe, $60 million was spent on repaving and surfacing
work.
Update Re Route 4 Highway- September 20, 1997
The petitions (asking for highway improvements) which were circulated in
the various stores along Route # 4 have been
gathered together and they contain approximately 3000 signatures. A
number of tourists
signed the petitions and they commented on the beauty of Cape Breton, the
welcoming
nature of the people, and the hazardous road conditions.
Once I had the petitions copied and bound I presented copies to
Transportation and
Public Works Minister Don Downe, MLA Alfie MacLeod and the Cape Breton
Board of
Trade. I have also spoken with Premier Russell MacLellan about this
situation and will
meet with him in the near future regarding the petitions and the
conditions of Route # 4.
I spoke with Minister Downe on Wednesday afternoon, September 17 at the
UNSM
meeting. He informed me that he and Tom Hackett, Director of Eastern
Region,
travelled Route # 4 on Wednesday morning to survey the section of highway
from East
Bay church to the Richmond County Line. He told me it costs $175,000 to
repave one
klm of highway and $1,000,000 to reconstruct a klm of highway. Minister
Downe told
me he will be making an announcement later this fall regarding paving
projects in the
area, however, he could not give a definite commitment on the Route # 4
situation as yet.
Information regarding a
letter that I sent on April 10, to Minister
Don Downe, Dept.of Transportation.
The body of the letter follows:
I wish to bring to your
attention the deplorable condition of Route # 4
(from East Bay Church to St. Peters).
This highway, since it was built in 1934, has seen some minor
modifications. However,
it has been deteriorating severely over the past ten years. The traffic
volume has
increased dramatically, particularly with the developments of Ben Eoin
Beach, Ski Ben
Eoin, Rita's Tea Room and the increased number of homes in the area.
Truck traffic has
also greatly expanded because most of the freight is trucked in and out of
the industrial
area. The original building of this highway did not allow for such
developmental
changes in traffic flow. Moreover, the upgrading of the St. Peter's Canal
bridge to allow
for heavier cargo is also adding to the increased dilapidation of the
highway.
With the numerous dips, crevasses, bumps, and potholes, it is costing
motorists extensive
repairs to their vehicles. Minor accidents, slower traffic patterns and
the costly toll on
highway snow removal equipment is an added concern to motorists.
Mr. Minister, what is in the 97/98 fiscal budget of your department for
this section of
highway that will help correct this troublesome, costly situation along
Route # 4? The
people along this route are growing increasingly frustrated with the
conditions of a
highway they must travel, while they see mega-projects being awarded in
other areas,
when this main route is being ignored.
Following is the letter I received as a reply from T.C. Hackett, Dist
Director:
Dear Councillor Doncaster:
Further to your letter dated 10 April 1997 to our Minister the Honourable
Don Downe
bringing attention to the condition of Route 4 from East Bay Church to St.
Peter's.
During the past winter this section of Trunk 4 as well as many other roads
across the
province displayed an unusually high intensity of frost heaving, creating
rough driving
conditions. This occurred in areas where we had never experienced a
similar problem in
the past. The frost is now out of the roads and the pavement surface has,
for the most
part, returned to normal.
Further upgrading of Trunk 4 from St. Peter's is part of a long range plan
for highway
improvements by our department. There are no immediate plans to start
work this year,
however, as other projects are completed and funds become available, work
on Trunk 4 will be carried out.
Regarding the present condition of Trunk 4, department staff will carry
out, as soon as
possible, patching and any other maintenance required to the roadway
surface.
Yours very truly,
T.C. Hackett
Re Article Cape Breton Post- By Chris Hayes - Thursday, July
10, 1997.
Route 4 Needs Work Too, says Doncaster
District Director
Eastern
Re Petition:
On
Friday, June 27th I distributed petitions
to a
number of stores between East Bay and St. Peters.
These petitions seek upgrading for the Route 4 Highway between East Bay
and
St. Peters. Your signature is important to impress upon the Dept. of
Transportation that improvements to Route 4 are a necessity.
Update - September 4,
1997
The petitions have been
gathered up and we have almost 3000
signatures. I will forward copies of the petitions to the Dept. of
Transportation,
the Premier, the MLA and the Cape Breton Board of Trade, with the hopes of
receiving a commitment for a plan to upgrade Route 4 to safer
standards.
Councillor Ivan Doncaster says Route 4 in his district needs work as
much or more than Highway 125, where the province has announced a $9.8
million project.
"I'm glad to see it being done but I think there are other roads that need
it much more," Doncaster said Wednesday.
The project, announced by Transportation Minister Don Downe Tuesday, will
twin another section of Highway 125 between Leitches Creek and focus on
greater protection of the North Sydney water supply at Pottle Lake.
Doncaster said Route 4 in his district is in "terrible" condition in
places and requires more passing lanes to handle the considerable volume
of traffic.
On Friday, 26 cars drove by his house in a line, Doncaster said. Drivers
desperate to pass may be taking unnecessary risks, he suggested.
Doncaster suggested the road hasn't seeen major improvements in his
district since it was constructed in the 1930s.
"There may have been some recapping here and there but that's all."
He planned to travel to Halifax later this month with petitions demanding
improvements to the road in his district.
The province is spending $2.9 million on improvements to Route 4 this
summer including a 10.6 km section at the Inverness-Richmond line and a
1.7 km section at the Reserve, noted Transportation Department
spokesperson Barbara Baillie.
"It's hard to please everyone at the same time," she suggested.