Police stop dozens of drivers making illegal turn onto Hwy 400 ramp in Barrie

Police officers stopped dozens of drivers making an illegal turn onto a Highway 400 ramp in Barrie’s south end Friday during an educational blitz aimed at alerting motorists about the new signage and rules.

“For just over a week, the new ramp to northbound Highway 400, just as you pass under the Essa Road overpass has been open. The old access lane at the Fairview Road intersection is now a through lane,” Barrie police posted on social media Friday.

Since the Essa Road/Highway 400 interchange project began years ago, the area has been full of detours, lane closures and delays, but now, with the majority of the work completed, motorists are urged to obey the new signage.

Barrie police communication correspondent Peter Leon says officers stopped 30 motorists during a short time Friday, adding drivers are responsible to adhere to the signage.

“The opening of the new on-ramp and the through lane-related change has been well advertised,“ he noted in an email to CTV News. ”Failing to do so will only create traffic chaos or potentially, a very serious motor vehicle at a very busy intersection that serves as a exit from Highway 400. Continuing to disobey the signage will not only upset law abiding drivers but will congest the intersecting roadways in the immediate area.”

The new Highway 400 northbound on-ramp from eastbound Essa Road opened June 5. New Fairview Road traffic signals are in operation, with the road back to the existing configuration, with all eastbound Essa lanes once again through lanes only. Left turns toward northbound Highway 400 are no longer permitted.

“Your safety remains our priority, please obey the signs at this location,” police noted.

The southbound Highway 400 on-ramp from westbound Essa Road reopened last month.

The project included widening Essa Road from four lanes to six lanes from Bryne Drive to east of Fairview Road to help ease traffic congestion.

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