To the Editor: The article regarding the deplorable condition of Highway 18 in the October 16 issue of the Weyburn Review finds all of us in the south feeling more than frustrated with Mr. Wakabayashi's response.
To the Editor:
The article regarding the deplorable condition of Highway 18 in the October 16 issue of the Weyburn Review finds all of us in the south feeling more than frustrated with Mr. Wakabayashi's response.
We have met with several representatives from the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure and they all acknowledge that Highway 18 is unsafe for local and commercial traffic.
When our local Municipalities and Villages met with them in April, they made a proposal to possibly build a super grid sometime in the future. This option was not "shot down" at that meeting as Mr. Wakabayashi stated. In the following days, our municipal representatives consulted with local citizens, and it was clear that a dusty grid road is not the solution our ratepayers are looking for.
They feel that reverting from a dust-free surface to a gravel road is not "moving forward". In the early 1970's Highway 18 was gravel and at that time, it was graded on a daily basis by the Ministry. Today, parts of it have been reverted to gravel and weeks go by without maintenance. It makes one wonder what would happen if the whole highway was gravel.
We have stated in letters to the Ministry that we are willing to meet with them again and work with them to develop a plan. Basically, they have said "take the super grid or get nothing", yet they have openly stated and agree that the present highway is unsafe for local and commercial traffic.
Is that how they "take care" of Saskatchewan citizens? It's truly amazing that someone has not been killed while traveling on this highway due to the disgraceful condition. Extreme frustration takes over when we travel on other highways and see paving projects replacing highways that we would be thrilled to have.
To that they tell us that it's part of a different plan within the Ministry, and we don't "fit the criteria". We are in the heart of increased oil production as we have never seen before. Our grid roads are deteriorating due to the fact that no one wants to travel over the crumbling highway, and who can blame them?
We feel that our municipalities should not be expected to bear all the additional costs for resource exports that benefit the whole province just because we don't "fit the criteria".
If anyone has traveled on Highway 18, you no doubt recognize the seriousness of its deplorable state, and it's time the government recognizes it too and takes action. It's shameful to even be labeled a highway in its current condition.
Steven Berg, reeve, RM of Souris Valley; Robert Thue, reeve, RM of Lake Alma; Wilfred Jacobson, mayor, Village of Lake Alma; Herb Axten, reeve, RM of Surprise Valley; Dennis Simpart, mayor, Village of Minton; Todd Labbie, reeve, RM of Laurier; Rene Bourrassa, mayor, Town of Radville; Keith Kaufmann, reeve, RM of The Gap; and Larry Harkes, mayor, Village of Ceylon.
