Steinbach MLA, Kelvin Goertzen, says recent cutbacks to the provincial highway maintenance budget have resulted in some dangerous intersections in the southeast and throughout the province.
“I’ve been getting several calls and emails about the fact that the ditches along provincial highways are not being mowed and as a result, some intersections are causing difficulties for motorists because they can’t see oncoming traffic because of high weeds from the ditches,” said Goertzen. “Several residents have said they are having to pull out into intersections before they can see if there is traffic coming.”
Goertzen noted that after registering a complaint with Highways about the intersection on #311 (from Giroux) and Highway #12, some improvements took place, but that as a result of budget cutbacks he has been advised other trouble spots won’t be mowed until late next month.
He says this is a problem throughout the province with other MLAs fielding similar concerns.
Goertzen notes more than $19 million was cut from the budget to maintain provincial highways this year and he believes hundreds of thousands of that related to the mowing of ditches and intersections. He says this is a safety issue and it needs to be addressed by the Minister.
“Department staff are doing their best with the resources they have but apparently the NDP are so strapped for cash as a result of their mismanagement we can’t even mow the ditches anymore,” said Goertzen.
