'Now we have this giant overpass': Public meeting has upsetting news for some

The P.E.I. Department of Transportation hosted a public meeting on the Cornwall bypass Tuesday night, to ask for feedback on the chosen preferred route for the project.

This was the first public meeting on the recently announced route. A meeting for affected landowners was held last week.

• Landowners affected by Cornwall bypass route still absorbing news

More than 100 people attended, many standing at the back of the room because there weren't enough chairs.

A lot of the questions focused on propertyvalues and traffic.

Terry Boulter, who lives on Cornwall Road, discovered the nature of his neighbourhood would change dramatically with the planned bypass.

"We bought our house to be close to everything, but next to nothing, and now we have this giant overpass, which I just found out this evening. [It] has off ramps apparently," said Boulter.

"I'm upset. I'm very upset, and disappointed. I wasn't contacted about this, and didn't know about it, other than that there was a highway coming. I'm apparently not one of the affected landowners, even though I'm right next to it."

A crowded room

In addition to complaints about the route, attendees were also irritated that there weren't enough chairs and no microphone.

They said it was hard to hear the presentation by the province, or questions from other residents.

Sylvia Andrew lives on Fulton Drive, and said the preferred route runs very close to her home.

Andrew said the meeting did not make her any more confident that her feedback will be taken into account.

"This meeting was ridiculous, no microphones, not enough chairs. It was divide and conquer. They didn't want to hear from us," she said.

"I've been writing letters to the mayor, Wayne Easter, Paula Biggar, Heath MacDonald since this came out in June, and really the replies haven't been much, other than that I've written the letter."

Residents will be heard, says province

Andrew would like to know why the bypass wasn't in the provincial budget, and why residents are being asked for their feedback, when construction on phase one of the project, the roundabout at Maypoint Road, is already underway.

Provincial chief engineer Stephen Yeo said the feedback will be taken into account, and that there's still time and flexibility when it comes to the final route chosen for the Cornwall bypass.

The province is giving citizens two to three weeks to submit their feedback.

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