Alternate northern route 'badly needed', businessman says

Province won’t say if it plans to build new north-side highway anytime soon

One of the proposed alignments for the Miramichi north-side alternate route is outlined in red in this file photo. Local businessman Les Price says the city and province need to work together to revive the project before the Centennial Bridge closes for repairs. (Photo: Google Maps)

A Miramichi businessman says time is of the essence if the city and province hope to alleviate gridlock during Centennial Bridge closures using an alternate northern route.

But whether the province plans to revive the long-abandoned project remains to be seen.

During the Feb. 13 council-in-committee meeting, local developer Les Price said the city and provincial Department of Transportation and Infrastructure need to move quickly to start building another route between the Centennial Bridge and Miramichi Bridge on the Miramichi River’s north side to mitigate the looming traffic crunch on King George Highway if and when the Centennial closes for upgrades.

Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to reaffirm its support for the northern route and send a letter to Premier Blaine Higgs, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Richard Ames, local MLAs Michelle Conroy, Réjean Savoie, and Mike Dawson, Miramichi-Grand Lake MP Jake Stewart, and the mayors of neighbouring communities “stressing the need for the construction of an alternate northern route before the closure of the Centennial Bridge.”