Temiskaming putting its foot down: chamber, municipality lobby for a safer Highway 11.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: Transportation

A fatal accident involving two transport trucks in November is providing more fuel for the Temiskaming Shores and Area Chamber of Commerce and local politicians to press the government and law enforcement for better safety measures on Highway 11.

The driver of a transport truck died when two heavy trucks collided in a fiery crash on Highway 11, north of Marten River on Nov. 24.

Firefighters were called to extinguish a spectacular fire and one truck was reportedly a diesel tanker.

No detour was available as transports were backed up for five kilometres in the northbound lane.

The highway was reopened to alternating lanes 12 hours after the crash.

Fatal accidents, serious injuries, near-misses and road closures are becoming far too familiar for northeastern Ontario residents who frequent the highway and for inconvenienced businesses that depend on the north-south link to stock their shelves.

Helen Culhane, who heads the chamber's Going the Extra Miles Safety (GEMS) committee, said they're preparing, and still waiting, for a joint meeting with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) regarding the possibility of adding more passing lanes, particularly on the 160-kilometre stretch between North Bay and Temiskaming Shores.

"We have explained that our request to meet is clearly time sensitive."

During a meeting with the MTO last summer, chamber officials were told four-laning Highway 11 was impossible, given that there was not enough traffic volume to warrant twinning the road.

"They're basically telling us it can't be done," said Culhane. "We understand that," given the topography of this part of northeastern Ontario. We can't four-lane and we don't want to. We can't be bypassing Latchford and Temagami. We know what happens to towns that get bypassed."

The chamber wants to see more passing lanes, and longer ones.

During the winter, Highway 11 is becoming the road of choice for long-haul truckers in order to avoid the frequent snowsqualls and road closures of Highway 17 along the north shore of Lake Superior.

When convoys of trucks start passing one another, Culhane said there's no room for private motor vehicles to pass.

"We've talked about centre medians to separate the lanes but, again, it has to be looked into and they (MTO) claimed that can be more dangerous."

Culhane said there have been concerns registered about the inconsistency of the MTO's winter road maintenance contractors. "People say the highway...