Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists
ABR Concern Over Portage Accessibility In West Hwy 60 Reconstruction - Submission To Transportation Environmental Study Report (GWP 5551-04-00)
On May 25th, a Notice of Study Completion of the Transportation Environmental Study Report Submission - Highway 60 Improvements within Algonquin Park (GWP 5551-04-00) was made public.
A Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) was prepared by HDR and LGL Limited for the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) for improvements to Highway 60 in the park (from approximately the West Gate to the Mew Lake Campground entrance).
A 30-day period for public review was started, ending on June 22, 2012. Interested persons were encouraged to review the TESR and to provide comments as indicated in the TESR. If there are no outstanding concerns after the completion of the 30-day review period, the project will be considered to have met the requirement of the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (Class EA).
The Transportation Environmental Study Report is available here (54 meg./182 pg. PDF)
The Algonquin Backcountry Recreationalists had already made a request for information regarding access to backcountry access roads and portages abutting the highway. However, as was indicated in the report, no details were provided since no impact was anticipated at that time.
Upon review of the report, the ABR could not find any details relating to portage accessibility from the highway.
As a result, the ABR has submitted its detailed concerns to the authors of the report and to park management.
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