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Ten to I 2-lane Hwy. 401 By Tim Foran CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Widcning Hwy. 401 hy îwo or îbree lanes in eacb direction îbrougb Milton and Haiton Hîlîs is tbe main alternative being considered by tbe Province 10 impros e îraffic along îbe clogged corridor. "As far as I'm concerned, tbaïs fine for mc as long as it gels tbe iraffir off Steeles Avenue," said Bob Cracey, a 41 -'car resident of Hornhy wbo aîîencled an open bouisc in Milion last wcek bosîed by the Minisiry of Transportation (MbO) Tbe MTO bas dcierminced ibat proposcd transit improveniis. inclîiding tbe expan- sion of aIl-day iwo-way GO Train service ti Milton and Georgetown, won'i bc enoughi in belp people and gonds flow smootbly along Hwy. 401 in tbe future. Howex er, tbe expansion f ruim Regicinal Road 25 10 Trafalgar Road mnigbti no bc reserved for cars. Tbe MTO îs also consider- ing tbe addition of bus bypass sboulders and/or bîgb occupancy vebîcle lanes, more coimmiicr parking lois antI att iinodaiions for bîlse bines aci os' tbe bigbssay. Tbe MTO, wbicb is currenily doing an enviroomiental assessment sîudy examining improvements 10 the ine kilometre sîreîcb of bîgbway, plans 10 release ils finalized design in laie 2011. Ibats îoo laie for ai leasi one aîîendee to tbe open bouse. "Tbey don't need 10 do the sîudies. Tbe road widîb is already ibere. I mean, wbaî are îbey sîudying?" saîd Milton Regional Councillor Colin Besi. Tbc planning and constrction proccss for bîgbways can take up ici eigbî years, aiciîrding Io MTO documents. Imiprovemnenis to tbe Milion/Halion Hilîs section migbî also be stuck waiing for oîber Hwy 401 prolecis in Missîssalîga 10 be comn pleîed. Tbc Province bas begun expanding a sec- tion of Hwy 401 [rom six t0 12 lanes [rom Huroniario 10 Hwy 410, a projeci expecîed 10 be compleîed in Augusi, 2013, according 10 coniraci detaîls on the MTO websiie. Tbe MICI bas also sîarîed background work on widening tbe bigbway beîween approximaielv Hîîrontarîo 10 Trafalgar but il basolt ye cielecticc a consutilant 111 hegîn the official cni îniiieiîiaî assess îîîeîîî -,îcid Plaza used as drivers' shortcut The Town of Milton says il canit stoîp driv- ers [rom using a relail plaza ai the norîbeast corner of Main Street and James Snow Parkway as a way lo ui îto tbhe lineup for the easîbound Hwy. 401. At certain limes in the morning rush bour, vebicles back up along Main Street waiîing 10 îurn left onto James Snow. Afier making the ilîrn, îbey must gel in a queue in the rigbî bancl lane 10 gel on the ramp 10 the highway The' plaza, whicb bas a gas sta- lion, coffee shop and nîber stores, bas a dual enîrance and exil on boîh Main Street and James Snow. Milton commuter Patti Bîîckley, iii a letter 10 Ontario Minislry of Transportation offi- cials thai was copied 10 the Cliainpiîiîi, said drivers who didot wanî bo waiî wo îurn lefi [rom Main onlo James Snow were driving througb the plaza and then ti'ying 10 cul int tbe lineup 10 gel onlo the bigbway Sbe described îbe laclie as frusîraîing 10 those drivers wbo were trying 10 handle the long waiî wîîb civiliîy. "Why, when the plaza ai tbe corner was desîgned, was il neyer îhoughî oui ihat you should only be able t0 enter ibis plaza from James Snow, and only exil coming oui of the plaza on Main Street?" asked Buckley, a ques' lion tbe Chiampion direcîed 10 Town officiali responsible for approving tbe plaza sute plan "That is really up 10 tbe plaza owner,' responded Paul Cripps, the Town's dîrecîoî of engineering services. "We bave cheeket wiîh the police and ibere is noîhing in tbh Highway Traffîc Adt ibat prevents ibis [mon happening. If the plaza owner wanîed 10, pur sue il, îbey could charge the people wiih ires passing." ESTATE AUCTION SALE, For the late Douglas LeRîche WED.. JlJNE 16TH STARTING AT 5PM SHARP In the A gricultural Hall on Robert Street Milton Fafrg.rounds, Milton ONT. Item of interest, is the original large sehool bell (complete) from local S.S. #6 "Omagh" School. Lots of Old Fumniture, Wicker, Glass & China, Air Comp. & Tools. Fnidge, Freezer, Washer. Many Good Framed Limited Editions, Prints, etc. Vehicle - 2005 Impala LS Sedan 3800 Series Il SF1 V6 Engine with Onstar Communication System and Fully loaded with only 100,000 kms. Sport red Metallic with Neutral interior, excellent condition. Seils at (APR) 6pm For môre dtaied listings Visit www.auctionsfind.comlidonfl Iifl Terms are cash or Chque with urper 10 onu, Auctionee -i Do oln 958701 roposed to improve flow However, ils expected the highway about increased traffic are borne out by MTO through that section wl be widened 10 10 statistics. In 1996, about a balf decadc before5 and 12 lanes through various stretches, Milton started growîng, the directional peak ý according tc0 a receni report released as part volume on Hwy. 401 between Regional Road' of the Provinces CIA West transportation 25 and Trafalgar was approximately 4,500a corridor sîudy vehicles. Today, that figure is 7,000, and il's In Milton/Halton His, the preliminarY expected 10 grow to, 8,500 by 2018 and 0 alternative is 10 widen tbe bigbway [rom its 10,000 by 2028.Z current six lanes to 10 lanes bctween Gibson, a pnivaie owner-operator, said be > Regional Road 25 and James Snow Parkway wol3ie1 s w 0 ftePoic and cither 10 or 12 lanes beîween James bougbt it back and made it free or cbeaper. Snow and Trafalgar. 'They need to gel Meîrolinx working on Deciding wbeîher or not there wîll be 12 an expanded GO service to Milton as well," lanes, made up of collector and express sec-sadBt.Iloentak ar10osm- lions, won't be made until the Provinces CIA tbing thais pretîy obvious." West sîudy îeam determines if il wants 10 go Il does, howevcr, take mnoncy, sometbing abead wîîb a new transportation corridor tbe deliciî-ladeîî Province is in shbort supply connecling Hwy 401 in Milton 10 Hwy. 400 of ai tbe moment. north of Vaugban. If the study teamn deter- Teepnino OTansriet mines tbe corridor is necessar)y and tbe bes ilo Ibe enin of GO Trdain serv3iceion, sîarîing point is ai Tremaine Road, then the Mcing bas ben sîimated at. ilin Province migbt only need to widen Hwy 401 acorin 10O Metoln's cslantth o to 10 lanes. "They need coîlector lanes eventuaîîy so widen Hwy 401. Howcer, the widening wby not now?" quesîioned Bill Cîbson, a 33- would also require the CN raîlway and Fiftb vear old Milton resîdeni. Lîne bridges 10 be widened and tbe Sixth C Gibson drives a gravci truck froui I ne bridge to bc repýlaced. i bete would also Aberfoyle 10 Toronto multiple limes a day bavc io be impiovemienis mnade tw the and says tbe îraffic bas become progrcssîvely bridges and interchanges aI Regional Rcîad worse since tbe laie 1990s. 25, james Snow and Trafalgar. "I'd say a uie over 10 years ago, morning An MTO officiai presenit ai tbe* open rush (hour traffie) would stop in front of the bouse ruled oui ibe possibiliîy of a new airport," bie recalled. Now, be says tbere interebange beîween James Snow and migbî be congestion as far west as Hwy. 6 on Trafalgar for sa[ety reasons. a sunny morning. Tim Foran can be reached a( tforan@milton- Floib Cracevs and Cibsons complainis caîiadiancliampion.iom. DAY *sa............i..e JUNE.19 PRINCESS OUR BIGGEST SALE 0F THE YEAR 1: Book a Princess Cruise on June 191h for EXCLUSI~ $175- 1 Onboard Credit '200-, 1 Reduced Deposit $650- I Onboard Coupons 1i,500 1 Bonus Aeroplan Miles Expedia* ecruise@Xpcent;ers7 Pre-re (901 391 Main Stre. www.cruiseshipi CRUISES S BACK! IE OFFERS: gister Today' 5) 864-8999 tEast, Milton centers.caniilto 1 - - r 1 e