The warden of Antigonish Co. says most people are happy with a short-term fix at a dangerous intersection in the municipality.
Provincial transportation officials shut down the section of Trunk 4 between Old South River Rd. and Beech Hill Rd. due to an increasing number of collisions at the Beech Hill-Trunk 4 intersection in December.
After January’s regular municipal council meeting Monday night, Owen McCarron, the municipality’s warden, said slowing down traffic in the area will reduce collisions.
“When you hear from the first responders that are there, on a daily basis, at the scene, we recognize something had to be done,” he said. “This gives us a quick solution in the short-term, and hopefully the long-term (solution) will give the area a satisfactory outcome.”
Provincial officials plan to install a roundabout at the intersection as a permanent fix.
McCarron said some area business owners are concerned with the length of time that will take.
“Some of the businesses are concerned about the long-term closure of that road, because it does impact traffic flows as you head east toward Lower South River,” he said. “We’re going to work closely with TIR to make sure that, whatever the remedy is, it’ll happen as quickly and as efficiently as possible.”
Lloyd Hines, the province’s transportation minister and the MLA for Guysborough-Eastern Shore-Tracadie, recently told The Hawk work to replace the intersection with a roundabout will start in the fall.
He said they don’t expect construction to be done- and that section of Trunk 4 re-opened- until spring 2021.
