Paving delay

By Christy Marsters

It will be another winter of two-way traffic for drivers on Highway 101, between St. Croix and Three Mile Plains.

Steve Smith, spokesperson with the Department of Transportation, says the twinning project needs to be delayed until next year.

The soil the road is being built on is moist, Smith says. “We have to give it time to dry; if you put a hard surface (pavement) over a soft surface it causes dips in the road.”

Crews have put soil and gravel down already, but the road will last longer if the paving waits, he notes. “It will be a good hard surface for next year. It is high priority but we want to make sure it’s a good road; that will last.”

Windsor fire chief Scott Burgess oversees emergency response calls along this stretch of highway. He says, although make sense not to pave over moist soil, the sooner the entire project could be finished would be better.

Head-on collisions are reduced where the highway is twinned. Drivers should be encouraged to use greater caution and to reduce speed in areas merging back into two-way traffic from the divided highway, Burgess says. “I think that everyone has to be really cautious until this project is completely done.”

Smith agrees “Safety is our major concern … so, this (project) is a high priority for us.”

Burgess urges the public to be safe and watch out for rescue crews when accidents do occur: “If you do see us out there, slow down or stop to give us a safe working environment. If you see any responders, yield to us. It may be your place or family we’re going to."