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LETTER: Pitt Meadows residents left out of underpass equation

Federal government, port authority and rail line all happy to move ahead with costly project
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Dear Editor,

This letter was sent to MP Marc Dalton.

As you are the MP for our area, I am writing to you concerning the proposed overpass/underpass and the expansion of CP facilities in the Pitt Meadows area.

I am sure you are aware of the plans CP has for the area, which, will literally cut Pitt Meadows in half and we will be held hostage in our own city.

I truly find it hard to believe the federal government does not have the authority to stop CP from proceeding with this expansion, including a third rail line which will cause traffic delays up to eight hours per day we are told.

The Port Authority is virtually useless. They do nothing but tell the people CP has the right to do this, and we, the residents, need to accept the change and our community is asked to pay $49,000,000 towards a project nobody wants.

Putting in one overpass at Harris Road is not going to alleviate the problem at all. What about the crossing at Dunn Avenue, 203rd Avenue, etc.? Are the people living there going to be blocked for hours each day also?

This does not take into account emergency services, such as fire and ambulance. How are they supposed to get through? The other major concern is the size of the trains. How many cars are allowed? What about the weight and speed as they go through residential areas? We all know what happened in Quebec. Those families will never recover.

What I am gathering, from all the articles I have read, is CP really does not care, the port authority and federal government are bowing to big business, and the people are not worth consideration when money is concerned.

M. J. Brotzel, Pitt Meadows

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• READ MORE: Letter writer questions who benefits from underpass

• READ MORE: ‘Let’s put on our big boy pants’ – letter writer

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