City politicians have voted to rattle the chains of the province, one more time, regarding the importance of expanding Highway 403 in Hamilton.
A motion to that effect was approved by the general issues committee on Wednesday, following a warning from the city’s director of growth planning.
Guy Paparella says that another five years of congestion between Main Street and the Lincoln Alexander Expressway will take an economic toll.
Paparella predicts “issues in attracting businesses”, as well as with those that are “already existing here” within the Ancaster, Red Hill and other business parks.
Councillors also want upgrades to the intersection of Highway’s 5 and 6 “reprioritized”, after hearing that the construction of an interchange at Clappison’s Corners is not within the MTO’s five-year work plan.
Paparella made the comments while presenting the latest report on “shovel-ready” employment land, which shows that are 279 hectares available across the city, most privately-owned.
The majority of it is in Ancaster, Stoney Creek and the Bayfront Industrial Area.