Councillors fail to stop roundabout
Posted Jul 22, 2010 By Charelle Evelyn
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Tweet ThisEMC News - A last-ditch attempt by two east-end councillors to put a stop to the controversial Orléans roundabout ended in defeat during last week's city council meeting.
Orléans Coun. Bob Monette and Cumberland Coun. Rob Jellett moved that the project be reconsidered in light of new information on the project's budget.
Council approved the two-lane roundabout at the intersection of St. Joseph and Jeanne d'Arc Boulevards in February, with a budget of $2.5 million. The cost for the roundabout itself was $1.7 million and the remainder would be left for streetscaping the area.
However, the cost has since increased to the full $2.5 million.
"It's not the same motion," said Coun. Monette, who, though opposed to the project, said he had been prepared to live with the results of February's vote until the price went up.
He suggested that the roundabout be scrapped and use the $2.5 million entirely for streetscaping.
"I haven't received a single e-mail in support of this project," said Coun. Jellett, who said that residents and St. Joseph businesses are opposed to the roundabout.
"We have the chance to make 100,000 people in Orléans pretty happy," Coun. Jellett said.
However, the proposal failed to get the three-quarters support from council that it needed to reopen debate on the project.
Innes Coun. Rainer Bloess said that he stands in sync with the Heart of Orléans Business Improvement Area, which voted in support of the roundabout.
"It's unfortunate the original estimates did not match up," Coun. Bloess said before voting against his colleagues' motion.
What did get through council was a request for $800,0000 in infrastructure funds to be reallocated to the project for streetscaping.
The joint motion by Coun. Monette and Coun. Bloess suggested that surplus funds from other projects be transferred to the roundabout to make up for the cost increase that ate up the streetscaping money.
"Streetscaping is an important aspect," Coun. Monette said.
Roundabout construction is scheduled begin at the end of the month and is scheduled to end by the beginning of November.
Coun. Monette said he does not expect there to be any street closures during construction.
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