Sarnia's mayor and MPP want to see the province take action to ensure the safety of drivers on Hwy. 402 through the city, after two serious crashes within a week.
Mike Bradley has written to the Minister of Transportation, Steven Del Duca, asking that speed limits on the westbound highway be examined, as well as the electronic notification system, and the possible need for more than one truck lane.
Bradley says millions of dollars were spent over a decade ago expanding Hwy. 402, to enhance the safety of the heavily used truck and car route to and from the U.S. via the Blue Water Bridge.
He says it's time the safety of the highway, especially near the Christina St. overpass, be reviewed.
"The two accidents sadly send a message that it needs to be examined," says Bradley. "The one truck lane seems to be a prime issue and the fact is that when those trucks are backing up on busy days, there's all sorts of examples of truckers trying to get to the front of the line and trying to get their paperwork done, so we need to look at how that one truck lane is functioning."
Tuesday, a chain reaction collision involving three transports east of Christina St. forced the closure of the highway for several hours while the scene was cleared. A 27-year-old Quebec truck driver was charged with careless driving.
July 19, a 61-year-old Alabama truck driver was killed when the transport he was driving slammed into the back of trucks stopped or slowing down on the westbound approach to the bridge.
Both crashes occurred in the westbound lanes between Colborne Rd. and Christina St.
Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey has also fired off a letter to Del Duca asking if the ministry's Lane Management System (LMS) and its end-of-queue detection system is fully operational in the westbound lanes. In reply to a letter Bailey sent in late 2015, the minister indicated that sensors embedded in the highway were being tested and that the LMS would be placed back into full operation when the testing was complete.
Bailey wants to know if the system sends specific data to the ministry indicating where a backup is happening and how quickly the variable message signs are updated.
The MPP is offering to host a meeting in Sarnia-Lambton including the minister, and local stakeholders to discuss what can be done to improve safety along the westbound approach to the bridge.
-With files from Dave Dentinger
