Residents, province discuss concerns over bypass study

If a new highway were to bypass Kakabeka Falls, Julie Miles said the village would become Radiator Springs.

The fictional town in Disney’s Cars, with its rundown buildings and empty streets, could become a reality for the town Miles, chair of the Highway Bypass Committee, told a group of about 100 concerned residents at Redeemer Lutheran Church off Kakabeka’s main drag Wednesday.

"The sleepy main drag fell into disrepair," Miles said.

The committee, less than two weeks old, held the meeting to educate residents and businesses owners about the provincial government’s four proposed routes for a four-lane highway west of Kakabeka Falls. All options presented by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation have the road bypassing the village.

"You might as well turn the lights off (in Kakabeka Falls) if it’s bypassed," Miles said.

But the proposal is only in the designation stage said MTO study project manager Rick Inman.

"This is just long-term route planning. We’re not out to build anything soon. There’s no funding in place, there’s no construction. This is a long-term planning initiative 10 to 25 years at least," he said. "We just want to identify a preferred route for a four-lane highway and designate it. Essentially that will protect it."

Inman and members of Stantec consulting, which conducted the study that begain in 2009, took questions from Kakabeka Falls residents and business owners at the meeting Wednesday. When asked why the village of Kakabeka was being bypassed, Inman and others said property and controlled access concerns meant that bypassing the community was the preferred choice.

But Miles said the MTO told her the highway upgrade wouldn’t be necessary until traffic levels on the highway reached 10,000 vehicles per day, a level currently around 3,000. Miles said the committee is proposing the province focus on four-laning the Harbour extension instead.

"At this point in time the highway doesn’t warrant being upgraded," Miles said. "With the decline in tourism and the decline in forestry it’s not going to get that way anytime soon."

Randy Tenhave, owner of the Esso gas station in Kakabeka Falls, said he would rather see money spent on upgrades to the Thunder Bay Expressway.

"That’s where the people are getting killed and that’s where the focus should be," Tenhave said.
Inman said he wants to hear proposals from the committee and residents.

"Hopefully we’re going to come up with an option that’s going to address everyone’s concerns," Inman said.

A study that includes the province’s preferred choice is expected in the Spring of 2011.