Collector road cancelled

They don't need it after all.

Clarenville Town Council has spent over two years trying to figure out where to install a new road to handle traffic coming from new subdivisions in the Shoal Harbour River Valley area.

At last week's council meeting, the public works committee reported they had another option.

Following discussions with the town planner, the town's CAO Bob Hiscock was advised that because of the new Town Plan - a draft of which is expected within the next two weeks - the proposed collector road will not be required.

The town's original intention was to create a new road to provide fire and emergency exit from Huntley Drive, through Spruceland Drive to Harbour Drive.

Huntley Drive is a dead-end street. Built decades ago, it is a narrow, tree-lined drive that originally accommodated just a few houses on either side.

Over the years, subdivisions sprung up on new side streets.

A building boom over the pal of Balbo Elementary, notes a lot of children walk to school and most of them live on the landward side of Harbour Drive.

"We have about 250 children here in the valley that walk out to the Barn Loft (store) and to the Post Office. There's no bus service from the Post Office to the school, or from Clearwater Estates to the school," he points out.

With two more subdivisions in the works for Huntley Drive, residents are wondering whether the increased traffic will make it even more challenging for pedestrians to cross Harbour Drive.

"It doesn't seem that there is any consideration being given to pedestrian traffic in Shoal Harbour Valley," says Windsor.

He notes that while the sidewalk on the waterside will complete the loop for the Shoal Harbour walking trail - which crosses the causeway on Memorial Drive and proceeds on to Clearwater - there should have been consideration for walkers who frequently use the other side of the road.

That's why the residents want to meet with council; to see if there are better solutions to accommodate pedestrians who use Harbour Drive.

The meeting is set to start at 7:30 p.m. Monday night, Oct. 26, at Balbo Elementary.

Windsor and other members of the citizens' group hope all town councilors will attend.

editor@thepacket.ca