A special meeting is taking place this afternoon in Thornbury. It's a brain storming session of sorts for local politicians and Ministry of Transportation staff.
Concern that the Ontario Government’s draft Provincial Transportation Master Plan for Southwestern Ontario falls short of addressing the local challenges along the Highway 26 Corridor and region has prompted today’s meeting of the minds.
Ministry of Transportation officials will be discussing the Regional South West Transportation Plan with: the Wardens, CAO’s and MPP’s of both Grey and Simcoe County as well as the Mayors of The Town of Blue Mountains, Collingwood, Meaford, Wasaga Beach and the Township of Clearview.
The goal says Grey County Warden Paul McQueen is to work with Ministry officials toward the possible expansion of the Highway 26 corridor and a few other heavily travelled roads in need of attention.
McQueen believe it is time to expand the Highway 26 Corridor into a four-lane highway in order to address traffic congestion and pressures placed along the busy section of road.
With all of the key players gathered together, today presents an opportunity to provide comment back to the Province as a united voice over the need to expand the Highway 26 Corridor and address the transportation growth and needs of the Town of Blue Mountains region.
While today’s meeting focuses on the Highway 26 Corridor and region, McQueen hopes to invite Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney to Owen Sound in the near future to discuss the possible expansion of the Highway 6/10 corridor.
Mulroney is not part of today’s conversation; however, McQueen did take the opportunity to discuss the possibility with the Minister at the recent Ontario Good Roads Conference.