The Timmins Chamber of Commerce is in full support – and urging speedy action – on establishing a bypass around the city.
Presenting her annual report to city council this week, chamber president Melanie Verreault noted ongoing efforts to mitigate the speed of all traffic, especially heavy trucks on Highway 101, the major thoroughfare through Timmins.
“It would be prudent to highly consider the need for a bypass road,” she said, “creating a safe and efficient corridor of commerce that skirts the city and removes potential or perceived danger from our main street.”
Since before he became mayor almost three years ago, George Pirie has been campaigning for a perimeter road. He also wants heavy industrial traffic off Highway 101 through the centre of town.
Pirie told council and the chamber about meetings recently with provincial northern development minister Greg Rickford, transportation minister Caroline Mulroney, and finance minister Peter Bethlenfalvy.
“They were made aware of the importance of getting a price out or started on or scoping, I guess, on that bypass road,” the mayor said.
Pirie says having to drive through the city centre costs major mining employers Newmont and Lakeshore four-million dollars a year.
He also says he impressed upon the ministers the urgency of completing connecting link reconstruction between Porcupine and Kamiskotia Road.
