The mayor of St. John's is proposing a new authority to look after major roads shared by the region, although at least one councillor doesn't think that's going to happen.

Mayor Dennis O'Keefe believes a commission would look after major roads shared by residents across the northeast Avalon Peninsula, including major thoroughfares like Kenmount Road and Topsail Road.

O'Keefe said representatives from regional municipalities and the Newfoundland and Labrador government would sit on the board, and oversee such things as snowclearing and upkeep.

"All of these are regional roads and... we should all share in the maintenance of them," he said.

But at Monday evening's council meeting, Coun. Gerry Colbert said one major roadblock stands in the way of such a plan: Mount Pearl city council.

Colbert said Mount Pearl has refused to pay a share of the maintenance of Team Gushue Highway, and that the provincial government let the smaller city get away with it.

"The government at the time should have had the guts to say, 'You're not walking away from it. You are going to take responsibility for it," Colbert told the meeting.

Colbert said the provincial government should reduce the money it gives to Mount Pearl each year in order to cover the difference.