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Dear Sust-Mar, Following a posting to this list (title: Plans to twin the 101 - action needed), Maritime Noon interviewed me. I gather many people called in afterwards to express their own misgivings and to offer alternate suggestions for how to make Highway 101 safer. Building highways, while traditionally a great vote-getter, is disasterous environmentally and financially. It turns out many people, especially when they find out how much it would cost just to build the highway (conservatively estimated at $1.5 million/km) and how much safer driving is when speed limits are reduced or at least effectively enforced, do not want to see Highway 101 twinned. While all three provincial parties are on record as supporting the twinning idea, even the PC government may have to give up on the planned highway construction. This is partly because of the amount of opposition to the expenditure, but also because the federal budget contained less money than expected for highway expansion. Our Transportation Minister, Ron Russell, is a strong advocate of twinning the highway but at least one other member of the legislature has real misgivings and would rather see any transportation money spent in other ways. To support the voices of reason, we need to 1) educate citizens about the issue and 2) show politicians and the media that there are better alternatives to twinning. As part of this effort, a group of people has put together the following petition. **************************************************************** We, the undersigned residents of Nova Scotia, - recognize the importance of spending tax dollars wisely on essential services such as education, health care and pollution reduction - believe that the Nova Scotia government should develop a long-term province-wide public transportation policy that includes commuter rail, commuter bus, and van pooling. - want our transportation tax dollars to be spent on a safe, clean, and reliable transportation system available to all Nova Scotians, regardless of age or ability - urge the Nova Scotia government to impove the safety of Highway 101 by improved enforcement of speed limits and safe driving practices rather than twinning the highway. Reducing the speed limit, especially for dangerous conditions, should also be given serious consideration. Most importantly, the government should provide alternate ways of moving people and goods between the Vally and Metro, thus reducing highway congestion. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ *Note: This petition has been prepared by members of various groups such as Transport 2000 (469-3474), the Ecology Action Centre (429-2202) and Enviro-Clare (837-4980). *********************************************** YOU can help by collecting signatures on this petition. Please write to Jan Slakov, Box 35, Weymouth, NS B0W 3T0 to get a copy (or just print it off yourself). If you only have time to send in a "sign on" by e-mail you can do that by e-mailing me at <jslakov@tartannet.ns.ca>. all the best, Jan -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The preceding message was posted on the Sustainable Maritimes mailing list (sust-mar). http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/lists/sust-mar -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Sponsors: Chebucto Community Net http://www.chebucto.ns.ca Sierra Club - Chebucto Group http://www.sierraclub.ca Volunteer moderator: Paul Falvo mailto:sust-mar-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
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