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New traffic light in Hanwell has some seeing red

The installation of traffic lights outside a new convenience store and gas station on Hanwell Road on the outskirts of Fredericton has become an election issue in the Fredericton West-Hanwell riding.

The owner of the newly constructed Crossroads convenience store was permitted to pay for and install the lights on Route 640.

Candidates are wondering why permission for the privately installed lights was granted by the Department of Transportation.

Progressive Conservative candidate Brian MacDonald say the decision may have been a big mistake.

"There's a bunch of different intersections including the Trans-Canada highway and yet the decision was made to put them here," said MacDonald. "And I'd just like to hear why that was."

The convenience store, which was initially awarded an NB Liquor agency store franchise only to have the decision revoked as a result of a court challenge, had the lights installed as a safety measure.

But many people say the lights are slowing down traffic on a busy road that leads to bedroom communities on the outskirts of Fredericton.

The nearby Hanwell trailer park has wanted lights installed for years at the park entrance.

"Why there and not here?" said Peter Boucher, who has lived in the trailer park for 40 years. "You can't even cross the street sometimes.

"It's not fair, but I mean they don't really care."

MacDonald thinks the Department of Transportation needs to take a second look at the situation.

"They have to hear back from the people and if the lights aren't working, they need to re-evaluate that decision," said MacDonald.

The other candidates in the riding, including New Democrat Dominic Cardy, say there should have been more community involvement.

"You go consult with the folks in Hanwell, then we'd respect that decision," said Cardy. "Rather than having all this back and forth and people in the provincial governed being mixed up in it."