The Point Edward OPP Detachment Board is urging the province to hold off on plans to raise the speed limit on a stretch of Highway 402, near the Blue Water Bridge, until a thorough safety review has been carried out.
The Ford government announced it intends to boost the speed limit to 110 kilometres per hour from Waterworks Road to 350 metres east of Colborne Road in Sarnia, starting July 31.
Board Chair Greg Grimes stated they feel this decision overlooks the specific features of this area, which is not like a regular rural highway.
“It’s a very busy section of Highway 402. We felt like we were making some headway with some of the improvements.. enhanced signage, better use of the overhead signs, no trucks in the left lane, and the speed limit reduction, and felt that it was becoming a safer corridor for both passenger vehicles and commercial,” he said. “The announcement that they were increasing the speed limit in that section of the highway felt like a step backwards.”
Grimes noted there have been multiple incidents reported along this highway segment over the last decade. In 2023, a crash near Modeland Road resulted in two fatalities.
“One collision is one too many,” he said.
In his view, the current gradual reduction in speed before reaching the international crossing is effective.
“It’s alerting drivers as they go from 110 km/hr to 100 km/hr that you’re in a more congested or built-up area, and there may be hazards ahead when it drops to 70 km/hr.,” he said. “To go from 110 km/hr to 70 km/hr is a big jump in a short period of time.”
He also mentioned that drivers often get distracted as they near the Blue Water Bridge while searching for their passports and wallets, especially when navigating around commercial trucks, highlighting the need for reduced speeds.
“The faster you go, the longer it takes to stop, the longer it takes to react, and the seriousness of a collision increases,” he said.
In a letter sent on Monday to Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, the board requested that implementation be delayed; maintain current speed limits until an extensive review can be finished; and meet with representatives from their board, Village of Point Edward, and local emergency service partners to address concerns.
Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey, members of Federal Bridge Corporation Limited, Sarnia Police Service Board, Village of Point Edward officials, and Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley received copies of this correspondence.
Bradley has also expressed worries about raising the speed limit.
Update: On Tuesday Bradley sent another letter to Minister Sarkaria asking for an evaluation of existing lane designs and traffic management strategies along Highway 402 in Sarnia.
“In particular, we recommend consideration of reducing the westbound speed limit for commercial vehicles beginning at Mandaumin Road interchange,” Bradley wrote in his letter. “As trucks are already required to slow down and queue for border crossing checks, reducing speeds here would not affect crossing times while enhancing overall safety.”
The letter further stated that city officials are committed to working together with provincial authorities on finding solutions that improve safety while facilitating goods movement.
Source link
Source link
