More protests coming for P.E.I. Trans-Canada reroute

A group of people in Bonshaw, P.E.I. are planning more protest tours of the proposed site for the new Trans-Canada Highway.

The government's original plan was to build the route through Strathgartney Park, but that was changed in December after protests.

Now the provincial government plans to build the $16-million route through private forest lots on the other side of the highway, eliminating steep grades and numerous driveway accesses.

The reroute involves 34 private properties including 10 homes.

Some local residents in Bonshaw didn't like that plan either, so they offered tours last month of the proposed construction area to help gain community support.

More than 100 people came out to those walks, so organizers have planned another tour Monday and next weekend.

Chris Ortenburger, a Bonshaw resident, said she hopes the communities involvement in these walks will help change the government's plans.

"I hope they'll realize that it may have seemed like a good idea but for a lot of reasons it's the wrong idea," Ortenburger said.

"People are now figuring out that between the idea of the costs and the environmental degradation and the lack of process on informing residents, that it's time to stop this and to kind of go back to figure out how they can improve the roads we already have."

Several hundred people have signed the petition to stop the construction of the Trans-Canada Highway, she said.

The group plans to send the petition to the provincial government at the end of the month.