ARGYLE – The province is looking at both short-term and long-term ways of addressing concerns that have been raised about a highway exit in the Argyle area of Yarmouth County.
Lloyd Hines, Nova Scotia’s minister of transportation and infrastructure renewal, was speaking in the legislature last week in response to a question from Argyle-Barrington MLA Chris d’Entremont.
A short-term measure the province is looking at for the spring is enhanced signage, the minister said.
Concerns about traffic safety near Exit 32 have been raised in the house before and d’Entremont brought up the matter again last week.
“I’ve asked this question a number of times to previous ministers,” d’Entremont said. “Back in 2016 the former (transportation) minister, now the minister of business (Geoff MacLellan), said that the intersection mattered, and it was seen as a priority by the district director (of transportation and infrastructure renewal).”
D’Entremont said no apparent work has been done at Exit 32, which is near the turnoff leading to Nakile Home for Special Care.
“My question to the minister is: If this intersection was a priority over two years ago, why hasn’t it been improved yet?”
Hines said the government is “looking very closely at that significant connector down there.”
The minister would not give a timeframe for a long-term solution.
“There are actually three intersections that we’re hoping to come up with a very comprehensive solution for and I’d like to assure the member, and the people of those communities, that it is on our radar and that it is moving forward and it’s in consideration for not-too-distant future work that will be completed.”
The province, Hines said, sees “the opportunity there to solve the problem once and for all.”
D’Entremont said local residents have been waiting for a long time for the matter to be addressed.
