Living next to a development that’s under construction has always had its downsides. In the name of growth and progress, many homeowners conclude that it must simply be endured on occasion.

But residents of Île-des-Chênes along Rosybloom Lane, immediately north of the new Oak River Meadow development, say that nobody should have to put up with the sorts of frustrations they’re experiencing.

Steven Petznik is one of these homeowners. On Wednesday, April 22, he and several neighbours met face to face with Ritchot’s council, hoping for assurances that something will be done.

Rosybloom Lane forms a half bay that will eventually transform into a complete bay once the street is finished within Oak River Meadow.

Ever since the new development plan was introduced to the public, Petznik and others along Rosybloom had their concerns. One was that their quiet residential street would become a construction vehicle thoroughfare.

They were reassured, at the time, that trucks would be required to use other accesses, two of which lie along Old Highway 59.

Unfortunately, someone missed the memo. Petznik says that his street has been a construction vehicle expressway for the better part of seven months now.

“We had asked for barricades and signs to be erected,” Petznik told council. “We started talking about this last October and it took until February 12 to get concrete barricades put in place.”

The barricade was installed at the very end of Rosybloom, around a bend where it will connect to Oak River Meadow. A small sign at the opening to Rosybloom indicates that it’s not a through street but it’s poorly visible.

According to Petznik and his neighbours, the barricade has done nothing to reduce construction traffic along their street. In fact, it effectively doubled traffic, since the heavy-duty vehicles that enter are now forced to back out along the entire length of Rosybloom in order to reroute.

“We’re talking fully loaded cement trucks, multiple of them every single day,” Petznik said. “We just saw a full semitruck with what looked like a 53-foot flat deck behind it. I’ve seen a pump truck hit the ditch [on my street] because they had to back all of the way out. This is a big safety concern.”

Petznik says that he’s been reaching out to the RM and the developer since last fall, asking for a remedy, to no avail. He’s seen no additional policing or ticketing and heard of no fines being issued to the developer. Seemingly no one is being held accountable.

It wasn’t until Petznik reached out to Concrete Manitoba that he finally felt heard. Still, their advice left the problem squarely in the hands of Rosybloom Lane residents who were being asked to submit photos and license plate numbers of the trucks in question.

“We’re not the police,” Petznik said. “This isn’t our development going in behind us. This is the developer’s issue. It should be the RM’s responsibility, as well, to support us.”

Shortly after Petznik requested a personal delegation at Wednesday’s council meeting, a couple more signs appeared near the entry to Rosybloom, indicating a different access from Old PTH 59.

Petznik said that he’s seen some improvement since that time.

A neighbour of his also stood before council, frustrated with the immediate dangers this issue has posed for children on Rosybloom, including his own, of whom the youngest is three.

“At what point will this get taken care of?” he asked. “Will one of my kids have to get hit before somebody steps in?”

Council listened attentively to the delegation of neighbours and agreed to address the issues raised with the Oak River Meadow developer, Terracon.