We, the residents of and visitors to Ohio, Nova Scotia, are calling for Public Works Minister Kim Masland and the Department of Transportation to take effective and long term action to fix our gravel roads in Ohio Nova Scotia (Antigonish County).  Specifically, the entire Ohio West side road along with all areas of the Ohio East side road excluding the stretch that has already been chip sealed.

The excessive quantity of deep potholes and water run off trenches in many spots do not leave any passable options without causing unnecessary damage to our vehicles. There are also other significant safety issues for drivers including washed out and unstable sections as well as damaged guardrails.  This is a liability for  the province should accidents occur.  The condition of the roads is also a deterrent to settle or open a business in this area which inhibits our ability to attract newcomers and grow the economy in this region. 

There has been no gravel applied to the roads nor has there been any construction to repair the significant erosion of the foundation of the roads and protective structures in nearly a decade.

We implore the province to prioritize an immediate and sustainable solution. With valued forestry, agriculture, and a wide range of other home based professional services in Ohio we need to have quality roads. We would welcome the conversation around chip sealing the west side road as well as a continuation of chip seal on the east side road to effectively handle the heavy traffic. If that is not feasible at this time, there needs to be a significant investment in the reconstruction and building up of the foundation of the roadways to acceptable, safe, and sustainable levels.