Public Release – Route 70: Ignored Again
ROUTE 70 – IGNORED AGAIN
BAY ROBERTS, NL – Mayor Walter Yetman & Council are disappointed in the lack of funding included in the Provincial Roads Plan for Route 70. Route 70 is a provincially owned road that runs through the Town of Bay Roberts and is in deplorable condition. Heavy use and years of neglect by the Provincial Government have created a road with significant risk to public safety, municipal infrastructure and damage to motorist’s vehicles. Bay Roberts Town Council respectfully asks the Minister, “How bad does it have to get and how long will we be ignored?”
The Town has been lobbying the Provincial Government for a number of years, has met with multiple Ministers and has consistently requested consideration of funding in yearly budget consideration processes. Any motorist would be able to see that this road is badly in need of upgrades but apparently Minister Loveless cannot, he has only provided Council with lip service to this issue. The needs of Bay Roberts motorists, Bay Roberts Town Council and even our MHA have been ignored and will continue to be ignored for the two year period covered by this plan.
Bay Roberts Town Council expects more from the Provincial Government and has drafted correspondence to the Premier requesting reconsideration of inclusion of Route 70 in the Provincial Roads Plan.
We meet the criteria outlined in the plan:
- Route 70 is a busy road with over 18,000 vehicles per day
- The Highway services the largest and busiest populated area in CBN
- The area continues to grow and has grown over the last decade
- The road services several significant industrial and commercial provincial suppliers
- Most significantly, the road is in terrible, unsafe condition.
There is a need for road rehabilitation and the Town of Bay Roberts is not willing to continue to wait indefinitely. Town Council encourages all residents and motorists in the area to contact the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Elvis Loveless and local MHA Pam Parsons to express the need for road upgrades on Route 70.
For further information, please feel free to contact the Town of Bay Roberts at 709-786-2126.