Puslinch council plans to have a face-to-face meeting with the Minister of Transportation later this month over the schedule for the Highway 6 Morriston bypass.
Discussion on May 2 was spurred by correspondence from Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott and concerns of resident William Knetsch.
Arnott said Knetsch has been working to raising awareness of the issue.
In his letter to the MTO Arnott said, “A bypass around Morriston is urgently needed in order to relieve traffic congestion in the area, which has become a bottleneck.”
Such a move would result in “significant regional benefits for all of southern Ontario,” as it would ease the flow of traffic from the Niagara Region and Hamilton area through to the 401.
“The Morriston bypass is an issue which I have raised repeatedly with both you and your predecessors, ministry staff, and in the Ontario legislature for years. On March 20, I personally delivered a letter to you in the legislature, requesting that you meet with representatives from the Township of Puslinch to discuss this need,” Arnott wrote.
He said according to the recent provincial budget, the MTO was allocated $2.4 billion for highway infrastructure. “I would urge you to place this urgent project on your ministry’s five year plan.”
Knetsch said, “If the bypass will not happen for the next 10 years if we are lucky – what do we need to do in the meantime?”
He believes those responsible for the highway should do what they can to take responsibility in creating a corridor that is as safe, environmentally friendly, economical for business, as possible not only for Puslinch but for Ontario.
He said, “We need action now and cannot wait any longer; people need to take responsibility for what has been created here.”
Mayor Dennis Lever said the municipality has a meeting set with Minister Bob Chiarelli in Toronto on May 29.
