Chemin du 3e-Rang-du-Bic, in Rimouski, was previously very popular with cyclists, but the road is now badly damaged and considered dangerous, a situation that residents of the area have deplored for several years.
The city of Rimouski began repair work on May 25 on Chemin des Chénard and the east side of 3e-Rang-du-Bic. The western part remains neglected.
“We break our vehicles, we pay a good amount of taxes, there are at least 50 residents in our row, it must be done on our side too,” said Raynald Roy, a resident of the area.
According to the citizen’s statements, the City of Rimouski would have confirmed to him two years ago that a complete overhaul of 3rd-Rang-du-Bic was being carried out from one end to the other in 2020. The same statement would have been made to him. confirmed this spring.
Seeing that the work was only taking place on the eastern part of the range, Mr. Roy would have contacted Mayor Marc Parent who then told him that the other side was currently considered a priority since a greater number of motorists are circulating. in this direction.
“Our ability to pay is not infinite! We therefore started with the area where there is more traffic, ”explained the mayor of Rimouski.
Postponing part of the rehabilitation work on the local road network arouses the discontent of the fifty residents in the area. Several people complain in particular of car breakdowns due to the dismal state of the roads.
“People who stay in line with between 150,000 and 200,000 mileage, we see that their suspension parts are already broken. This is not normal! People who stay in Rimouski keep their original suspension for a really long time, the same goes for the original paint, ”denounced Raymond Joly, who has lived in this area for more than forty years.
“It’s unacceptable to have a rank like that! We are taxpayers too and we too deserve that our road is passable. We ask that the mayor respect his commitments, ”added another resident, Gilbert Marquis.
According to the explanations of the mayor Marc Parent, the costs of repairing a road like the 3e rang du Bic are ten times more expensive than the costs of restructuring a road on which there is a good structure beforehand. In 2020, the city of Rimouski invested nearly $ 12 million to repair the roads.
“10 million are intended specifically for rural roads and 6.8 million of this 10 million is put directly to Bic,” said Mr. Parent.
Citizens want to take matters into their own hands to move the file forward and secure their rank. A petition is currently circulating for repair work to be carried out in the summer of 2021 on the western part of the range, as previously planned.
“The Bic sector has been neglected by the old municipality. Now we are in catch-up mode. We will continue to make requests, we know that 3e-Rang-du-Bic is a priority. If we manage to have money next year, we will do it, ”promised the mayor of Rimouski.