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Four Laning SW Bypass 

To: <mark.simeoni@greatersudbury.net>
Cc: "Jacques Barbeau" <Jacques.Barbeau@city.greatersudbury.on.ca

 Hello Mr Simeoni

 I am contacting you to speak against the proposed plan for flyovers at Kantola Rd and Southview Drive that has been circulated and which  can now be reviewed by the public.

 We are residents on Kantola Rd with family members living in the Mikkola/Hillcrest subdivision. At best this new proposal will be
 inconvenient for us because it will necessitate longer routes, more  mileage, increased gas consumption and more wear and tear on our vehicles.

 However, our greatest concern is the safety factor which seems to  have disappeared in this decision process.

 First, emergency vehicles will be required to make longer and more  circuitous routes, over roads that are poorly maintained, with pot  holes and rough patches everywhere. The response time to emergency situations will only be increased and will make emergency services more inaccessible and unwieldy. School buses as well will be  required to have longer routes, children will be on the buses longer,  increasing the potential for accidents.
 
 Secondly, this re routing is going to bring increased traffic to the
 Mikkola subdivision. I would suggest the minister drive through this  subdivision. It is one of the most attractive areas in greater
 Sudbury. It is a subdivision where people want to purchase a home where their children can ride their bikes on the street, play hockey  on the road, walk the dog, jog for their health. This human and  humane aspect of good healthy living is going to disappear with an unknown increase in the number of trucks, cars , ambulances, fire  trucks. It is neighbourhoods like this that the promoters of Sudbury  point to as good reasons to live here. So it is counter productive  to have campaigns to promote our community at the same time decisions are being made, elsewhere I might add, that destroy the very features  that we are promoting as attractive.
 
 The minister should note - were he to accept this invitation - that  except for a short area on Hillcrest Drive which will take the brunt of the traffic, there are no sidewalks in the Mikkola subdivision!
 It will not be safe for anyone doing the noted activities above to be sharing the streets with the flow of traffic that is going to result from having no access to the bypass from Kantola Rd.
  Let me explain. For us to travel to the south end of Sudbury, with the new shopping facilities that everyone is promoting, we are going  to be driving through this subdivision. If we want to go on Highway 17 west, we are going to drive through the subdivision. This subdivision with no sidewalks is going to become a main thoroughfare  of this area.
 
 This plan is short sighted and totally ignores the needs and the
 concerns of its residents who are paying taxes for property in a
 highly desirable area.

 What is the purpose of this plan?
 
 I understand that it is meant to address the concerns of those who believe the intersection of Kantola Rd is dangerous. It certainly is dangerous. But this plan is counter productive, reducing the danger of one area and transferring it to another where the population is  even more vulnerable - children and families looking for a healthy  life-style.

 Who is going to benefit from this plan?
 The people who are going to benefit are those who are speeding down  highway 17 at more than 100 km /hr. The plan is making it convenient  for them. We are being inconvenienced to accommodate highway traffic. There is no benefit to those of us who live locally since we are going to be forced to travel extra miles on roads not designed  for through traffic.

 There needs to be access at one point in the stretch between the cloverleaf at highway 55 and Long Lake Rd. That access point should  be at Southview Drive where there is lots of room to put the  necessary access roads. A service road on the south side of the highway would facilitate all the needs of the public.
 
 The Southview subdivision may not like this idea but they are in a better situation to deal with extra traffic. With access to Highway  17 there shouldn't be extra traffic. The city has just spent a lot of money on modifications to slow down the traffic on Southview Drive and at least there are sidewalks where people can walk in safety.
 
 I urge you, Mr Simeoni to take the appropriate actions to ensure that reason and common sense are brought to the decision- making in this matter. I understand that reconsideration can be sought  through the "bump up " process and this is our request.

 Sylvia and Terry Carscadden

 

There will be a public information center Feb. 28th at Fielding Memorial
Park to discuss the MTO's plan of a new interchange. I have no information
as to their direction at this time. I would strongly encourage as many
people as possible to attend and show support. As You will recall council
voted unanimously to support the interchange at Fielding Road and that
letter of request has been in their hands for a few weeks.
Regards,
Jacques

Jan 17/08
Good morning,
Great news from last nights council meeting as council unanimously supported
a recomendation to the MTO to build a Diamond shape interchange at Fielding
Road and not on Southview Drive. This is still most definitely in the hands
of the MTO ,but, I believe we have sent them a clear message. Any
correspondence being sent to the MTO should reflect the unanimous vote for
Alternative 2 and I would appreciate seeing such correspondence. Thank You
for your assistance in this matter.
Regards,
jacques Barbeau