Dot cuts creating unsafe road conditions-Raymond

Thursday August 17, 2006

BEECHVILLE D.O.T. LAYOFFS CREATING UNSAFE ROAD CONDITIONS: RAYMOND

Halifax – Michele Raymond, MLA for Halifax Atlantic, has written to the Minister of Transportation to protest recent layoffs at the Department of Transportation in Beechville and ongoing budget cuts.

“Beechville serves three coastal, well populated constituencies,” says Raymond. “Unusual weather events have damaged the roads, but the Department of Transportation continues to make cuts at an unusual rate.”

“The equipment and asphalt are there, but the operating money isn’t, and the holes and the washouts are waiting for something more than an orange traffic cone.”

Five hundred millimeters of rain have fallen this summer, breaking all previous records. The Department of Transportation no longer designates money for storm repair, so regular maintenance money goes to fixing washed-out road shoulders. The remaining money only allows weed cutting and garbage pickup.

Beechville has spent more than 75% of its budget already on repairing storm damage, and has laid off five workers effective August 4th.

“The Minister needs to step up and fill the holes at Beechville,” says Raymond. “Safety depends on it.”

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