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Region needs roadworkfunding By IRENE GENTLE The Champion An Oakville stretch of the gridlocked QEW could be untied in four years. But only if Provincial funding is locked in first. Poeliminary design work is now underway on the mainly logjammed highway just east of Third Line to 1 km east of Trafalgar Road, Halton's plan- ning and public works cornrittee heard November 22. "The number one pmoblem is clearly traffic conges- tion , acknowleded Paul Hudapith, asenio projec the design work. "And we also have to consider safety and opera- tional improvements." The intent is to widen the highway t'rom six to eight lanes of traffic. The current median would also be widened to 7.7 metres. Acceleration lanes would be increased, and retain- ing walls built to decrease any impact on nearby prop- erty values. But a design difficulty cornes in the formn of a -i. bridge over Sixteen Mile Creek near Kerr Street, which can't accommodate the widened highway aa it 's. Three options have been put on the table. They include twinning the current bridge with a new struc- ture on the north side, which would displace about 15 homes currently on the site. Placing it to the. south, which is the second option, would displace about 17 burials in the St. Mary's Cemetery. The final alternative is to widen the bridge equally on the north and south aides, which could lead to structural durability issues. Currently, neither option is favoured, said Mr. Hudspith. "We don't have a technical preferred alternative yet," hie told the committee. "ThatîIl be something coming in the next few months." But in spite of aIl the design work, there's no guar- antee the project will get off the grnund quickly, or at aIl. 'We're as the very early stage of the planning procesa," said Karen Law of the MTO. 'We're aiming for completion of a detailed plan by summer 2002. But that's a beat case scenario." Good for the season Lift tickets Gln saen There'n one Christmas gift guaran- teed.to give its receiver a lift - or at least chili themn out. It'a a seaaon lift ticket for skiera and ý,snwboard«rs at Gien Eden - which *features a dozen slopes of varying dif- ýficuldtica, offerhag more Ilia eno uga eetctement and recreation for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Glen Edena operates seven days a week frota a.m. to5 p.m. For more inforation -on pricea and leason packages, caîl 878-8455 or visit the website as www.gleneden.on.ca. 1785~~ ~ ~ Mai St . itn 7a:e 1001l'é ANIISII NIADE, SOLID tK U'U UNITIL RE, N l'it Oui 1)%(.l 1,000 ý(1. 1 t. ýIIom ooIII 0 ýIc;Iý oi 0A Iiiiii(IS, ( 11;wl ( ý(,«ý"oi i(,ý Vurchcl 5 Pediéseures reg Receive one FREE reg. 0-amï DAY SPA PACKAGE Manicure, Pedieure, Facial, Aromatherapy, Massage, Eyebrow Shaping reg. IIUII LARRff Sm