A plea is going out again, concerning a stretch of highway in southeastern Manitoba.

After nearly two years of lobbying the government for upgrades to the 11 mile stretch of Provincial Road 201 between PTH 59 and PR 302 to RTAC ratings, the CAO for the RM of Stuartburn, Luci Maynard is now speaking up.

She says the road connects a number of major trade corridors including Highway 75 and Highway 59 and traverses through the RMs of Emerson-Franklin, Stuartburn and Piney. Maynard says, it is crucial in moving, not only farm machinery, but also bringing in essential services to residences living in the area.

Back in 2019, Stuartburn and Piney, as well as the Emerson Franklin Community Economic Development Corporation hired a Planning and Development company to do a survey and provide a road improvement submission that was forwarded to Manitoba Infrastructure in November of that year, which indicated the priorities. In particular, that Hwy 201 should be upgraded to an RTAC rating. However, says Maynard, in the online engagement that was recently put out by the Province of Manitoba which shows the routes that the province is going to be working, the province is rather going with Hwy 201 going West of Hwy 59 to Dominion City.

This, Maynard says, “leaves all the businesses wanting to come into our municipality, whether they're selling commerce or wanting to set up a business, as well as our farmers and our businesses wanting to export out of our municipality, stuck with weight restrictions for a good chunk of the year.”

When asked about the condition of the section of highway they are wanting to be raised to RTAC ratings, Maynard says, “some people would say it’s quite bumpy, but I would say that they've been maintaining the 201 in a decent fashion. It's not a terrible highway per the southeast, but it does see a lot of traffic, especially in the summer months, like cottagers and traffic going through going to Buffalo Point. It’s mostly, the semi-trucks just hauling commodities throughout the year, that are putting wear and tear on the road.”

Having that stretch of highway not to RTAC ratings has also hampered new homeowners in the area. Whether it is lumber being brought in or if they need a well dug, because the 201 is not to RTAC ratings, those kinds of essential services cost more because of extra travel using another route.

Maynard says having the province make the road improvements would also open up the area to a potential economic boost, like highway commercial businesses. She says right now their major concern is just having the commodities, whether it is farmers trying to sell their hay or getting feed to their animals, the 201 needs to have an RTAC rating.

So, how much more patience does the CAO have?

Maynard says, “Well, they've had this document just over two years, and they've announced that they were upgrading the Hwy 59 to RTAC rating, so I'm assuming it's in their five or ten-year plan, but it would be nice if this portion would be within the five-year plan. At least it would be nice to be sooner, but we understand that it takes time.”

The CAO says it is disheartening with all the work they have done so far to get the province to see the importance of upgrading the 201, that it feels like their requests are falling on deaf ears.

Maynard encourages RM of Stuartburn, Emerson-Franklin and Piney residents to reach out MLA Dennis Smook, and mentions the possibility of a petition going out to residents and businesses or anyone that wants to sign it.