Not because of the school mind you. That is a welcomed addition to our continually growing region of town. Our school age kids will grow into high school students faster than we think, and having a high school close by is most welcome.
The problem most people have, including this letter published in the Champion today, is that they feel the roads the way they are will not stand up to the increased level of traffic. According the letter writer, there are no plans to have LSL and Fourth Line widened at all before the school goes in.
She has a point. High schools are built to house many more students that the other public/catholic schools in the area and between staff, parents, and yes some students can drive their cars to school, the roads will not be able to handle the higher number of cars that will be travelling to and from school.
I will endeavour to find out from the town what the plans are for that intersection and see if widening the road is in the books.
While a new high school in the area of Louis St. Laurent and Fourth Line is a welcomed addition, the lack of foresight is appalling.
Living in a small town like Milton, which has grown dramatically in the past few years, one would think the people in charge would have learned a few things by now.
How does it make sense to increase traffic the school will generate at the busy corner of Louis St. Laurent and Fourth Line but not widen the roads?
The traffic impact study says the roads can handle the extra traffic. Interesting. Do the people who do these studies live in that area? I do, and can tell you it’s already a jam to get out of Milton in the mornings and come back in the evenings. That’ll be even worse with the extra traffic from school staff, students, parents and buses on our still ‘country roads.’
And when the new houses go up on the south side of Louis St. Laurent, will the road still be okay then, too?
Trustee Donna Danielli believes the students who live within the boundaries will walk to school. That’s all well and good when the weather is nice, but what happens when it’s raining or snowing or just too cold?
Is the Town that gullible to think parents won’t drive their children to school?
To Town officials, just widen the roads before the school goes in and before more houses go in. Do it because it makes sense. Do it because it’s the smart thing to do. Do it right this time since you’ve had plenty of practice at getting it wrong.
GINETTE GIBSON, MILTON