To the editor,
The recent story about a woman who very nearly was crushed in her vehicle at the Balsam Street intersection with the Trans Canada Highway through Thunder Bay reinforced the message that the Lakehead Regional Safety Council has been promoting for some time now.
The Lakehead Regional Safety Council has drafted a petition to the Ministry of Transportation and submitted it to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The petition was presented to parliament by NDP MPP Lise Vaugeois.
The Petition reads: "Whereas:
1. The Thunder Bay Expressway, also known as the 11/17 Trans-Canada Highway, through the City of Thunder Bay accommodates all of the local traffic as well as all of the Logging trucks and heavy trucks hauling cargo in both east and west directions as well as southbound traffic to the U.S. via Highway 61.
2. Many of these heavy trucks weigh 63,500 kg (almost 140,000lbs), hauling cargo, equipment and machinery on the Trans-Canada Highway as they pass through this corridor, while sharing the road with passenger vehicles, taxis, delivery vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians. There are several intersections where cyclists and Pedestrians, some of whom use wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers, must cross 4 lanes across the main flow of traffic on the highway.
3. This corridor is known as the Thunder Bay Expressway and has posted speeds of 90 km/h. Travelling at highway speeds, a heavy truck requires a stopping distance of approximately 525 feet. This is 40 per cent more than a passenger vehicle.
4. The increased number of heavy truck accidents,fatalities and near misses around the Thunder Bay District as well as all across Ontario, have raised awareness of the need for increased safety measures for all users to safely share the intersections along the Thunder Bay Expressway through the City of Thunder Bay.
5. By installing early warning lights like those along the corridor of the Harbour Expressway, and at the Balsam Street intersection, all traffic, including heavy trucks, can maintain a safe speed and when braking and stopping becomes necessary, with the introduction of yellow advance warning lights, can safely execute a controlled stop.
Therefore: We petition the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to consider the installation of early warning lights at all intersections of the Thunder Bay Expressway through Thunder Bay including the existing early warning light at the Thunder Bay Expressway and Balsam Street intersection, all the way through every traffic light controlled intersection, along the corridor of the Thunder Bay Expressway through the City of Thunder Bay to and including Neebing Avenue. These early warning lights will save lives."
The original petition by the LRSC collected over 250 signatures. We have collected another 40 signatures, and are working to collect more. If there is enough support, there is a chance that the MTO may listen. This short video provides more information on why the early warning lights are necessary.
Anyone interested in signing the petition can contact me at vande@tbaytel.net.
Bill Vanderwater
