A grassroots movement in support of improving safety on Highways 11 and 17 is gaining momentum. On Jan. 24, northerners and some politicians will gather simultaneously in a number of communities, calling on the provincial government to make those highways safer. Anyone who travels on Highways 11 and 17 knows they’re busy with commercial motor vehicles and in winter, conditions can be hazardous. “Driving on our highway is scary -- it’s like Russian roulette,” said Maryse D’Amours, a resident of Kapuskasing who works as a dog groomer. She told CTV News she is saddened by the number of highway collisions that are claiming people’s lives. “I’m really not into politics usually, but this just is hurting a lot of people,” D’Amours said. “We also have to think of the truckers that get stuck on those highways -- they don’t want to come here, they don’t. They hate our highway. That’s (a) highway for hell.” New Democrat John Vanthof, MPP in Timiskaming-Cochrane, said people are unhappy with highway conditions in northern Ontario and feel their lives are being put at risk. “This rally was organized to bring attention to the conditions on Highway 11, the number of accidents, the number of close calls,” Vanthof said. “I don’t know a family who hasn’t had a driver with a close call -- or a close call themselves or, tragically, have had much more serious things happen.” D’Amours said the Northern Corridor Chamber of Commerce helped organize the rally in Kapuskasing, which will take place at the Kapuskasing Train Station. The rallies for Safer Highways 11 and 17 will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. Rallies are also set to take place in Hearst at 830 rue Front, at the Den Restaurant in Fauquier, in Ali’s Grill and Bar parking lot in Temiskaming Shores and at the Pavilion in Cochrane, where Cochrane Mayor Peter Politis plans to attend. “It’s necessary for folks who live on the highway here to be heard,” Politis said. “First and foremost, it’s necessary for them to be able to offload some of their concerns. And then it’s necessary for us as regional leaders to be very constructive with that and to work with the province and the folks who make those decisions to have meaningful change ... The rally for us isn’t about creating anxiety or blocking the road, which we won’t do. The rally for us is about drawing attention to a very serious matter.” “The government -- will they act?” said Vanthof. “We might have to push harder and we’re certainly willing to … They are taking notice … the premier said something about Highway 11 at the ROMA conference.” At that conference, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said it’s been disturbing to him to hear about all the accidents in northern Ontario: “We’re doing everything we can to twin roads, to put two-on-one roads to make it safer,” Ford said. “Making sure that the roads get plowed and salted as quickly as possible because there have been tragedies over the holidays and no one wants that. So we’re going to continue investing in rural roads and highways, investing like the north has never seen before.” “More maintenance on the roads, maybe bring back MTO,” said D’Amours. “I don’t know. I’m sure there’s a solution -- I’m sure there is.”
