MTO says concrete barriers will be installed along 401

File photo (OPP)

Ministry of Transportation officials say a concrete barrier will be installed along Highway 401 in Chatham-Kent and Elgin County.

Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Transportation, released a statement on Monday about the issue.

“We will be building a concrete barrier,” McGarry stated.

“However before we do so, we need to do the necessary planning work, which includes an Environmental Assessment to widen this stretch of Highway 401.”

McGarry added: “As the Minister of Transportation and as the MPP for a community in Southwestern Ontario I took the decision on how best to improve safety on Highway 401 between London and Tilbury very seriously. This decision came after additional work and analysis by ministry staff and many important conversations with families and advocates who have personally felt the impact of a fatal collision on this highway.”

Alysson Storey, founder of the Build the Barrier group, responded to the announcement made by McGarry.

“We were pleased to hear the announcement from Minister Kathryn McGarry that the Ministry of Transportation will be accelerating plans to install a cable and concrete median barrier on Highway 401 between London and Tilbury,” Storey said in a statement.

“This 117-km section has been known as ‘Carnage Alley’ for close to 20 years due to the high rate of serious and often fatal collisions. Our group is reassured to hear Minister McGarry’s affirmation of the importance of highway safety. We share that view and look forward to working with the Minister and her colleagues to ensure that concrete median barriers are installed as soon as possible between London and Tilbury.

Storey said she appreciates the open lines of communication between the Minister, the MTO and their group to ensure their voices are heard.

“We are very pleased that these highway safety improvements will include 42” Ontario Tall-Wall concrete median
barriers along the entire 117km corridor,” Storey said.

“While we do not consider median cables to be satisfactory as a permanent solution on Highway 401, we accept the Minister’s assertion that they will be installed rapidly and will prevent or reduce some median crossover collisions while waiting for permanent concrete barriers to be built.”

Storey said while median cables are common in some parts of the United States, this will be their first installation in Ontario.

“They will provide an immediate reduction in some cross-median collisions involving vehicles they are capable of restraining,” she said.

“Our group thanks Minister McGarry, Minister Del Duca before her, and the MTO staff for their interest and
dedication to improving highway safety in Southern Ontario. We would also like to thank the MPPs for this
region, Rick Nicholls and Jeff Yurek, for their leadership in moving this forward both locally and at Queen’s Park.”

Storey added: “While we will continue to mourn our friends and loved ones killed in median crossover collisions, we hope our efforts to bring attention to these preventable tragedies played some part in making Highway 401 safer for all families in the future. We look forward to the day when all drivers on the 401 in Chatham-Kent, Elgin and Middlesex counties are protected from crossover collisions. And we will continue to advocate for this protection until the final concrete block is poured.”

The Build the Barrier group is meeting on Wednesday, February 7 at 7 p.m. at the Lambeth Community Centre, located at 7112 Beattie Street in London. To RSVP please call 519-631-0666. Everyone is welcome.

For additional information and regular updates please visit the ‘Build the Barrier’ Facebook page or email
buildthebarrier@gmail.com to be added to our email list.


– Photo credit: OPP

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