[Dmajackson]

Chamber: Move on twinning
Province urged to improve Highway 101
By IAN FAIRCLOUGH Valley Bureau
Thu. Jan 8 - 5:20 AM
KENTVILLE — The Eastern Kings Chamber of Commerce says the province has to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to twinning Highway 101.

Greg Young, the chamber’s president, said his business group has been told many times that the twinning of Highway 101 to Coldbrook is a priority for the province. But he said the government still hasn’t set a firm date for when the project will be completed.

Mr. Young said recent reports suggest the project won’t be finished until 2017. But he said he hasn’t received official confirmation of that, and indicated that the timeline is unacceptable in any case.

He said the highway needs to be twinned to address safety issues and congestion.

The only proposal now for relieving traffic congestion in New Minas is a new exit off Highway 101 at the east end of the village that leads to an existing road beside the County Fair Mall.

However, Mr. Young said the province has told the chamber that that work will only happen when the highway is twinned.

"That’s unacceptable," he said Tuesday, pointing out that the retail sector in New Minas continues to grow.

A new Home Depot has opened near the mall, a new drugstore is under construction and Mr. Young said at least three more large businesses are rumoured for that part of the community.

Traffic into New Minas is backed up beyond the Kentville town line on some days.

Mr. Young said while the chamber hasn’t heard any complaints from its members, it has heard shoppers are not happy with the time they have to spend in traffic to get to the shopping areas.

He said the chamber is working with local MLAs to get a meeting with Premier Rodney MacDonald to discuss the issue