A study about the extension of Barry Downe Road to alleviate traffic congestion was one of the first issues tackled by the new city council at its last meeting for 2010.
With no funding set aside for capital construction related to the extension, the presentation instead suggested identifying the preferred right-of-ways for the proposed extension to protect the land from future development. A transportation study in 2005 highlighted a need to address traffic congestion on Notre Dame Avenue (Municipal Road 80). One of the options suggested the expansion of Barry Downe Road.
Ward 6 Coun. André Rivest said the capacity problem isn’t getting better.
“The matter is by far worse today than it was five years previous,” he said. “We have to be looking at an environmental assessment as soon as possible.”
But Ward 11 Coun. Terry Kett said the focus should be on the existing infrastructure instead of new projects.
“It’s time our staff had a good look at existing roads within the municipality,” he said. “And maybe look again at how we prioritize roads.”
Ward 2 Coun. Jacques Barbeau said, while the transit system has improved in the last decade, more needs to be done to encourage citizens to use transit.
“The only way that works, is we have to increase the cost of parking downtown because if it’s cheap and inexpensive for people to drive downtown, they’re going to continue to drive,” he said. “That may not be a popular thing to say with a lot of people, but it is the reality.”
Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann said she agrees transit options need to be looked at, but other transportation options should be considered as well.
“In a lot of the larger centres in Canada they use what they call an alternative lane exchange,” she said. “This is not being discussed here and this is an option that would definitely relive traffic congestion and not at a cost of $102 million.”
Greg Clausen, general manager of infrastructure services for the City of Greater Sudbury, said at this point the city is looking at all options.
“The Barry Downe extension is not a done deal,” he said. “(It) is one option that will be considered as part of the Environmental Assessment update for Municipal Road 80.”
New councillors appointed to various committees
Councillors were nominated and appointed to various positions at the Dec. 8 council meeting. The appointments are:
Deputy Mayors Ward 5 Coun. Ron Dupuis, Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann
Policy Committee Ward 3 Coun. Claude Berthiaume (chair), Ward 2 Coun. Jacques Barbeau (vice chair)
Finance Committee Ward 11 Coun. Terry Kett (chair), Ward 10 Coun. Frances Caldarelli (vice chair)
Planning Committee Ward 7 Coun. Dave Kilgour (chair), Ward 6 Coun. André Rivest (vice chair), Ward 4 Coun. Evelyn Dutrisac, Ward 8 Coun. Fabio Belli, Ward 9 Coun. Doug Craig
Hearing Committee Barbeau (chair), Ward 1 Coun. Joe Cimino (vice chair), Rivest, Caldarelli, Kett
Court of Revision Dutrisac (chair), Kett (vice chair), Caldarelli
Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) Mayor Marianne Matichuk
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO)
recommendation to board to appoint — Rivest
Local Boards and Corporations:
Greater Sudbury Police Board Dutrisac, Dupuis
Nickel District Conservation Authority Cimino, Barbeau, Dutrisac, Belli
Sudbury and District Health Unit Berthiaume, Dutrisac, Dupuis, Belli
Greater Sudbury Housing Board Cimino, Dupuis
Management Board of Pioneer Manor Barbeau, Dupuis, Caldarelli
Greater Sudbury Public Library Board Cimino, Craig
Audit Committee Berthiaume, Dutrisac, Caldarelli, Kett, Landry-Altmann
Airport Board Kilgour, Caldarelli
Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board Kilgour, Belli
Greater Sudbury Utilities Board Matichuk, Barbeau, Caldarelli
