UPPER NAPPAN – Marilyn Thompson is not taking no for an answer.
The Blair Lake Road residents is determined to have the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal slow traffic down on Highway 2 in front of the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre.
“It’s an issue I heard a lot during the campaign and even though I wasn’t successful in getting elected, I’m going to continue working on this issue because we feel this intersection is dangerous,” Thompson said Monday. “Something has to be done to slow traffic down.”
Last month, Thompson sent a petition signed by several dozen Blair Lake Road and Upper Nappan residents to the Municipality of Cumberland and the department asking it to make changes to the intersection.
The department’s area manager Buffy White replied to Thompson’s letter saying the intersection was reviewed in 2006 and again in 2011.
“Both reviews have indicated that neither a speed reduction or traffic signals are warranted at this time,” White said in her letter.
White was not available for additional comment on Monday.
Thompson said she received a call Friday from the department indicating someone was going to come up and meet with her.
“Someone’s going to come up from Halifax and check out the intersection in early December,” Thompson said. “Hopefully I can show them how busy traffic is there and how fast it’s moving.”
Thompson said residents want the speed limit reduced fro 70 km/h to 50 through the intersection.
She is also concerned for the residents of a senior citizen’s complex immediately across the highway from the hospital. She said residents are unable to cross the highway and suggested a crosswalk should be put in place.
She also supports building a sidewalk from the town to the hospital.
White indicated in her letter that sidewalks are not the responsibility of the department.
Area councillor and Deputy Warden Don Smith said he his aware of the situation at the intersection and is willing to work with residents to find a solution. He too is hoping a sidewalk can be built, but admits slowing the speed and placing a crosswalk across the highway could be difficult.
“I understand their concerns and hope some solution can be found, but there is no easy solution,” Smith said. “It’s a major highway and you have traffic coming off the Trans-Canada pretty fast. You also have to cross four lanes of traffic to get from one side to the other.”
dcole@amherstdaily.com
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