Coun. Kate Leigh motioned for council to ask the Ministry of Transportation and Communications for passing lanes on the highway which takes drivers from the end of Hwy. 406 in Welland into Port Colborne.

She said traffic on the highway gets clogged as a result of high volumes of truck traffic, which is a safety concern. She said she has witnessed numerous near misses by drivers as they steer around transport trucks.

"I know we're not going to get a four-lane highway tomorrow," she said. "But for safety reasons I think its pertinent we have passing lanes."

Mayor Vance Badawey agreed passing lanes would be an asset on the main route to Port Colborne. Badawey called the roadway a "roller coaster" of mismatched paving and asked council to include in the motion that Hwy. 140 be repaved.

Coun. Domenic Ursini said he had no problem passing the motion, but wanted to ensure it was forceful enough. "We need something concrete," he said. "Something the ministry won't throw to the side."

Coun. Frank DiBartolomeo was sceptical about pushing the government on Hwy. 140 when there is an existing push to bring Hwy. 406 into Port Colborne.

"I don't want the province to look at this as a compromise and have it jeopardize the existing lobby for a 406 extension in Port Colborne," he said.

Council unanimously passed the petition to the government to bring Hwy. 140 up to par with other provincial highways.