Renfrew County aims to have a greater influence on the four-laning of Highway 17.
As work progresses on expanding the highway from Arnprior to Renfrew, the county hopes to skip ahead of the Cobden area and access a $5 billion federal program for upgrading the section of Highway 17 from Meath Hill at Greenwood Road, located east of Pembroke, to Deep River.
A resolution discussed during a recent meeting of the county’s operations committee urged the provincial government to prioritize preliminary planning, environmental assessments, design improvements, and intersection upgrades for that segment of road in its long-term strategy for four-laning.
Petawawa Mayor Gary Serviss supported the resolution at the meeting but suggested several changes to its wording.
“We’ve all been saying we’ve got to keep our foot on the gas on this issue,” Serviss told his fellow mayors and reeves.
“I just felt it was appropriate, and maybe more strategic, to let them know exactly what we want so when they get this it isn’t vague. That they know exactly exactly what we want, and we want it soon.”
Serviss proposed an amendment to create a “working group” aimed at furthering discussions about the four-laning plan.
This working group would include representatives from Deep River, Laurentian Hills, Laurentian Valley, Whitewater Region, Pembroke as well as Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and Garrison Petawawa.
Serviss also wanted the county to request updated traffic counts for August regarding the stretch of highway between Greenwood Road and Deep River. He suggested an additional traffic count once the new Brindle Road interchange at Garrison Petawawa opens in September.
His amendment also called for “immediate installation” of flashing amber lights before traffic signals along that stretch of highway to signal when those lights are about to turn red.
Additionally, Serviss wanted the province to promptly commission a feasibility study on this proposal. He urged starting consultations with local Indigenous communities while also commencing pre-engineering work and gathering environmental data including information on species at risk.
He requested that preliminary work begin on property acquisitions along this route along with technical studies for utility relocations. Furthermore, he asked that consideration be given by the province towards installing full interchanges or overpasses at major intersections along this route.
“These measures will result in significant improvements to the flow of traffic and assist in the eventual preparation of twinning this section of Highway 17,” Serviss explained regarding his amendments.
Whitewater Region Mayor Neil Nicholson appreciated Serviss’ amendments’ direction and proposed including local transportation companies in the suggested working group.
“A lot of feedback I get from transportation companies is that traffic lights are great but if they’re not synchronized there’s still not enough time to brake,” Nicholson said.
Admaston Bromley Mayor Michael Donohue expressed support for anything that would accelerate progress on four-laning. He noted that if things continue at their current pace; completion might take another 30 years.
“As I look around this room, I don’t think there’s going to be anyone here present for ribbon-cuttings on any sections currently before us,” Donohue remarked sarcastically.
However, Donohue pointed out that forming a working group could conflict with what is already being done by the county’s own Highway 17 Extension Advisory Committee.
He added that Serviss’ proposed amendments deserve careful examination without haste.
“This is policy on-the-fly,” he stated.
“Twenty minutes ago nobody in this room knew this was coming, and now we’re going to put it in place.”
After discussions wrapped up, Renfrew Reeve Peter Emon-who chairs the Highway 17 Extension Advisory Committee-said he would call a special meeting soon to discuss details concerning Petawawa’s mayor’s suggested amendments further.
Vance Gutzman is a Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) reporter working out of North Renfrew Times. LJI is funded by Government Canada.
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