14th Line not an option for Cookstown by-pass
by Michelle Minnoch

A public information session was held Tuesday regarding the findings for the options of a by-pass of Hwy. 89 in Cookstown.

Transportation issues for the Hwy. 89 corridor include congestion from the west limits of Alliston and Hwy. 400, the large number of trucks traveling to the Honda plant in Alliston via 89, the large number of employees traveling to Alliston, and the constraints in the Cookstown village core due to historic development and on-street parking.

The study found a need for additional capacity along 89 between C.W. Leach Road and the 400 by 2010; between Rosemont and County Road 50 capacity is deemed sufficient beyond 2025.

Although previous information sessions the Ministry of Transportation heard overwhelming support to use the 14th Line as the preferred option, Will MacKenzie from the Ministry said it is not.

""The 14th Line as a by-pass is not an option," he said, outlining the deer wintering yards and the Cookstown Hollows Swamp east of County Road 27.

The Ministry has to do an Environmental Assessment of the area, which MacKenzie said could take between one to two years. "We cannot start the E.A. until we get approval from the Ministry of the Environment (MOE)."

The MOE will have to file a Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) before the E.A. is to being.

MacKenzie said this is going to be a lengthy process and a solution will not be found overnight.

"Once the MOE files their TESR, then more detective work has to be done."

MacKenzie said here is unfortunately no quick fix for the situation and residents and commuters are going to have to be patient.

"There are a lot of factors we have to take into consideration," he said.