Following fatal collision, Batchawana Bay travel lodge voices Hwy. 17 safety concerns
Following a fatal collision last week, a popular travel stop along Highway 17 near the Sault is voicing its concerns over highway safety.
The owners of the Voyageurs' Lodge & Cookhouse near Batchawana Bay are calling on the provincial government to overhaul northern highways in a major way, in order to keep up with an increased traffic flow in a safe manner.
"This highway was built in the 1960s and has gone relatively unchanged, despite more cars on the roadways," said owner Frank O'Connor. "It might be costly, but we certainly have to look at making this highway wider and giving people more room to react."
O'Connor said he felt the need to speak out on social media, after five collisions this summer on Highway 17, between the Sault and Wawa.
O'Connor said he's in favour of adding paved shoulders for emergencies and easily identifiable turning lanes that make getting off the highway safer.
"We can't keep letting people die on our roads," O'Connor said. "It's time for the provincial government to step up and say you know what, it's time to improve the highway."
An entirely female motorcycle club visiting O'Connor's lodge, agrees.
The southern Ontario group, known as the Burbilly Girls, said they often ride up north to visit some of the region's beauty.
However, they said a lack of paved shoulders, rough roads and turning lanes can often make the trek a challenging and scary one.
"What makes me nervous is the oncoming traffic behind us," said Carrie Arpa, a member of the group. "Are you going to get hit from behind or if you're making a left? Will they see you in time?"
The MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin has long been advocating for increased safety along northern roadways.
But Michael Mantha said the need is even more urgent, as he expects more out-of-region travellers to visit as pandemic restrictions continue to ease.
"Our roads are not as wide as they are in southern Ontario, so those in southern Ontario coming up here are not used to those decisions," he said.
Mantha said widening the roads is definitely needed to keep everyone safe along the north's highways.
According to the Sault MPP, those plans are already in place.
"I was chatting with Minister (Caroline) Mulroney about the potential of even a three-lane project," said Ross Romano. "We have heard about that and there is some investigation into that right now."
Romano said he expects an assessment on its feasibility and other possible safety measures, to take quite some time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Manitoba premier to visit areas impacted by wildfire
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.
1 killed, 3 injured including toddler, after Hwy. 417 crash in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.