The MLA for La Verendrye calls it a disappointing response from the Transportation Minister regarding the issue of speed zones.
Konrad Narth says our province has made arbitrary changes to speed zones along Provincial Road 210 in Marchand, and elsewhere, putting public safety at risk. Narth says that for two-and-a-half years the Minister has failed to respond and address the concerns raised by local residents, RM officials, and him as MLA.
Narth raised his private members bill 222, which would have allowed municipalities to set speed limits within their jurisdictions. The NDP voted against that bill last fall.
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Narth says he recently had the opportunity to sit down and pose questions to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. One of the topics he brought up with Lisa Naylor was the issue of speed zones.
"The Minister's response was disappointing," says Narth. "As she made excuses and blamed backlogs rather than providing answers for the people of Marchand."
Narth says he has demanded that government at least have the decency to follow up with a response to all those communities currently waiting for an answer to their request for a speed zone change.
Narth says Bill 222 would have reduced red tape and supported an Association of Manitoba Municipalities resolution brought forward by a group of towns and cities that have identified that community growth and development is outpacing the government's regulatory process for adjusting speed zones.
During debate of the bill last fall, Narth said the NDP government suggested that municipalities do not have the ability to make sensible decisions regarding speed limits, and that these decisions should be left in the hands of the provincial government.
Narth says he feels that Manitobans believe they are electing local community representatives to make local community decisions. Having served as a municipal councillor for 12 years prior to entering provincial politics, Narth says he feels strongly that municipal councillors are passionate about doing the right thing for their community.
Communities outgrowing their speed zones
Narth says communities are concerned that they are outgrowing their speed zones and that they need to extend the reduced speed areas.
As mentioned, shifting the power to municipal councils is something that is supported by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities. Narth notes that four different municipalities drafted a resolution that was then approved by delegates at their annual convention.
Narth says in La Verendrye alone, there are a number of speed zones that need to be updated. But he notes this is not unique to the southeast corner of the province.
"Many times, these aren't big alterations of changing speeds from 100 to 50 or anything unreasonable," he says. "All that it is, is moving the sign a little bit further, to outside of the new street that was developed in the town."
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