The city of Belleville intends to take its case for another Highway 401 entrance near the North East Industrial Park, straight to Queen’s Park.
Ministry of Transportation Project Manager Glenn Higgins made it clear, in a presentation to council Tuesday night on the proposed improvements to Highway 401, there is no such entrance planned, unless the city paid $25 to $30 million for it.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk struck back, saying access to the industrial park is essential and to have the city pay for it is “not cutting it.”
Higgins told council the planning for bridge and ramp improvements, and highway widening will take the next two years.
Once approved he said it would take about five years to do the work.
The Ministry of Transportation has held a number of public meetings outlining the proposals which include the improvements to Wallbridge Loyalist Road access, the Sidney Street Bridge, and Highway 62 and Highway 37 ramps.
Public meetings have been held and the plan will be submitted to the ministry by the end of the year. None of the planning includes an entrance to the Northeast Industrial Park area.
Panciuk tells Quinte News he will raise the issue with local MPPs Todd Smith and Daryl Kramp in the next few weeks.
He will also speak to provincial government members at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario this summer.
