Concerns continue over highway washouts and flooding impacting Northern Ontario’s primary trade corridors, including Highways 11 and 17.
Those roadways “are the lifeline for hundreds of communities that dot the map across the 1,500-plus kilometre distance between places like North Bay and Sudbury and the Manitoba Border,” stated the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) in a release.
“The two highways, also a part of Canada’s National Highway System (NHS), serve as our only trade corridors that connect Western Canada to Central and Eastern Canadian supply chains.”
Highway 17 between North Bay and Mattawa and Highway 630 were recently damaged by a severe storm. The Townships of Bonfield and Calvin lifted a state of emergency at the end of June but continue to deal with repairs. Jason Corbett, Bonfield’s deputy mayor, estimated the road work could cost around $500,000.
Highway 17 north of Sault Ste. Marie was also dealt a nasty washout at the end of April. A video from the OTA shows the damage and is one example of the challenges long-haul drivers face.
The OTA has called for action, citing the impact on supply chains and the need for better road designs and safety features. They emphasized that flooding and road closures underscore the vulnerability of freight corridors and that long-term investment and planning are needed to avoid disruptions in the movement of goods.
“If we want to remove interprovincial trade barriers between central, eastern, and western Canada, we will need Queen’s Park and Ottawa to invest in both Highways 11 and 17 in the same manner as other critical transportation corridors in this country,” said Stephen Laskowski, president of the Ontario Trucking Association.
“Focused and expedited highway infrastructure and safety investments are desperately needed.”
Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, when speaking with BayToday, stressed the importance of financial support for municipalities affected by infrastructure failures.
“These municipalities are horribly worried right now,” said Fedeli.
“How do you replace a bridge in a community that has no real commercial revenue? You can't put it on the back of the taxpayers. We need to assure them that we're at Queen's Park fighting for disaster relief funding to come into this area … the best thing we’re doing right now is making sure these roads get repaired quickly, safely, with the most modern culverts and techniques.”
Fedeli noted the roadwork being done on Highway 11 south of North Bay, including full repaving efforts in areas around Powassan and Trout Creek. He added that “tens of millions” have been spent between North Bay and Trout Creek in the past month.
The province is also moving forward with infrastructure improvements aimed at easing congestion and enhancing safety. Fedeli referenced the development of a “2+1” highway model just north of North Bay.
“It’s a European model … two lanes going in one direction and one in the other, then it alternates,” he explained. “It puts a lot of passing lanes, whether you’re going north or south, which will help the truckers.”
The OTA has recommended a co-ordinated long-term plan for trade corridors, including design upgrades, more rest stops, and funding for resilient road infrastructure.
