BARRY’S BAY – An emergency access road leading to Sandhill subdivision will soon be opened.
The decision was made at the February 20 operations committee.
Operations Manager Hilary Kutchkoskie was asked to bring a report, detailing the history of the access road. This came after Lou Kirby, a resident on Lakeview Parkway, brought a petition to council asking for the road to be reopened.
The emergency access is located on Peter Street and leads to Lakeview Parkway. The road was private for many years until it was obtained by the township. After assuming ownership, the township has gated the road off in October 2014, preventing any through traffic.
“At present, the road cannot be considered usable as it is fenced off and locked, not to mention that is covered in snow,” Chair of the committee, Ernie Peplinski said. “In case of an emergency, someone would have to locate the key and the snow would have to be removed, thereby causing a delay.”
In Kutchkoskie’s report to the recent operations committee, he explained what is required to open the road for vehicular traffic. The cost to turn the access route into a gravel road would be $8,562.66 and $38,451 to turn it into a paved route.
“If it is council’s decision to open this as a through-road, we must consider erecting stop signs and speed bumps as necessary,” Peplinskie said.
Get your February 25, 2015 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.