AMHERST, N.S. - Jim Mitchell feels like he’s putting his life on the line every time he gets on his motorized scooter to go to the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre.
Mitchell, 69, is one of many people who have to walk, or scooter, to the hospital from Amherst. Because there is no sidewalk, he and other pedestrians have to navigate the shoulder of a busy highway – and it can sometime be a hair-raising experience.
“This is so frustrating because the way it is now is dangerous, it’s threatening lives,” Mitchell told the Amherst News. “We need to get to the hospital and some of us either can’t use a car or can’t afford one.
“It’s ironic in that I’m going to the hospital to save my life, and there’s the possibility I won’t make it back home. It’s no joke. I’ve often said to myself going out, ‘Is this the day Jim? Is this the day I don’t come back?’ You shouldn’t have to think that way.”
Mitchell, who lost his right leg in a car crash in 1970, has long been an advocate for those facing physical barriers. Several years ago, he began lobbying the province to make the historic Supreme Court building in downtown Amherst wheelchair accessible - a campaign he continues to fight.
He has to go to the hospital at least once a month for blood work, but there are times he needs to make a second or third trip and is forced to drive on the shoulder of the highway from the end of the sidewalk on South Albion Street, across an off ramp and an on ramp to Highway 104 and along the shoulder of Highway in Upper Nappan to the hospital.
“With a good conscience how can someone say this is not important,” Mitchell said. “It boggles my mind that when they moved the hospital out of town, why wasn’t it in the planning to provide a way for people to get there if they have to walk or use a scooter like I do and so many other so? That should have been part of the planning process. It would seem like common sense.”
Mitchell has lobbied both Amherst and the Municipality of Cumberland for help on the issue and he has been writing regular letters to the minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.
Shirley Rector lives across from the regional hospital at a senior's complex. She uses her motorized scooter to get back and forth to Amherst to get groceries.
"It can be very difficult sometimes to get out because the traffic is so heavy," she said. "Most drivers are very good and do everything to avoid me, but there have been times when cars have come a little too close. Sometimes I have to hold my breath."
This is not the first time the issue has come up. When the new hospital opened in 2003, replacing the former Highland View hospital in Amherst, there were calls to have a sidewalk built.
Amherst and the county did agree several years ago to study building a sidewalk. Amherst agree to extend its sidewalk to the town boundary while the county would extend it the rest of the way. The project fell off the rails because the county found its portion of the project to be cost-prohibitive while the Transportation and Infrastructure Department said it could not find a way to safely get people across the on and off ramps, especially with the speed of traffic exiting the highway onto South Albion Street.
Mitchell thinks something as simple as a crosswalk with flashing lights would work to let motorists someone is using the crosswalk.
MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin said she has spoken to Mitchell on several occasions and agrees something has to be done before someone is injured or worse. She raised the issue with Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lloyd Hines.
“He gave me assurances that he agrees this is important and that we need to ensure there is safe access to the hospital,” the MLA said. “He told me he’s willing to work with the town and the county. I met with the mayor of Amherst and the warden of the county and they told me they’re willing to work together on this file.”
With an aging population she said there is an increasing number of people who face transportation challenges and there are more people using motorized scooters to get around. She’s hopeful something can be done to build a sidewalk for safety reasons.
Marla MacInnis from Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal said Tuesday that construction and maintenance of sidewalks is a municipal responsibility.
"They are reviewed by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal through a permitting process that is initiated by the municipality. We review any sidewalk design based on our standards and with consideration to safety," she said. "The proposed sidewalk project was reviewed in the past and the permit issued was valid for one year; however, work did not occur during this timeframe and the permit lapsed. The municipality did not request an extension at the time and were advised that the permit approval process would need to be repeated if they wished to proceed in the future."
MacInnis said the department did recently meet with the MLA as well as the town and the county and discussions are ongoing.
"However, the municipality would have to confirm if they intend to pursue th is project in the future."
The MLA said she wants to see the planning process restarted soon and she will continue to press the province to participate.
Twitter: @ADNdarrell
