Ford Road near St. Thomas now permanently closed

After multiple crashes at the intersection of Ford Road and Highway 3, Southwold has closed Ford Road permanently, CTV London's Brent Lale reports.

Construction cones and road closed signs block Ford Road at Highway 3 just outside St. Thomas, Ont.

More than 2,000 cars will now have to find a different route after the Township of Southwold closed the road permanently Monday.

“We’ve had some serious accidents lately. People transferred to hospital with injuries, and we’ve had two people extricated in the last couple of accidents,” said Grant Jones, mayor of Southwold and warden of Elgin County.

“It seems like now’s the time it needs to be done and we had full support from the community.”

Despite signage indicating the closure, dozens of cars were caught off guard and seen driving into the dead end.

The road was scheduled to be closed when the MTO constructs a cloverleaf at the three-way intersection, which includes Ron McNeil Line.

Southwold decided to be proactive.

“There has been no deaths yet and that’s what we want to stop and make sure that doesn’t happen,” said Jones.

One of the main issues is that speed cars and trucks are travelling east-west on the Highway 3 bypass. Those turning onto Talbot Line often fail to anticipate the closing speed of the cars and transport trucks.

“We’re supportive of the closure of Ford Road,” says Chief Jeff MacArthur of Southwold Fire.

“Southwold Fire has responded to and continues to respond to several accidents at that corner. From a safety perspective, it’s the right move.”

Those that live on the road have mixed feelings about the permanent closure.

“It’ll be a lot quieter for us living on this end, for sure, which is kind of nice,” said Jane Andrews, who lives in the last house before the dead end.

“There will be less traffic, but from the farming industry of it, we farm right directly across the road. It’s going to be a little difficult bringing the combine, tractors and planters and the sprayer all the way around. We’ll have to go probably around, four miles before we can get here and it used to be like half a mile,” said Andrews.

Down the street, DJ Kennington says over the last few years, the traffic volume has become a bigger problem.

“There’s been a lot of accidents at that corner,” said Kennington.

“It’s a difficult corner to see, so it’ll definitely quiet Ford Road down. It’s kind of a thoroughfare to get to Wonderland (Road) and it will be nice for us on this road because it’s been busy the last few years since Wonderland has been redone. It’s a little inconvenient, but in return, you get there a nice, quiet road.”