“Our lives matter”
To the Expositor:
Re: ‘Island MTO highway winter maintenance contractor receives over $300,000 in fines, October 8, page 3.
The fines issued to cut-corner contractors points out the need for the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to take back the maintenance of highways in Northern Ontario.
We want our provincial government to use our hard earned tax dollars to improve road conditions and maintenance across Northeastern Ontario, particularly during the winter months.
Many people fear driving on winter roadways because of icy, slippery, dangerous driving conditions and the huge volume of truck traffic we now see on our roads.
The Northern Safe Roads Coalition is a group of business owners, concerned citizens, politicians and others who are concerned about the safety of drivers on northern highways and the lack of proper winter road maintenance.
The reported fines to contractors validate those fears.
Northerners do not have the luxury of Go trains, subways, streetcars and super four-landed highways to travel on.
We want the government to use our tax dollars to maintain our roads properly and to stop hiring cut-corner contractors who often bid low to get the contracts thus providing lower levels of maintenance to our roads.
The Ministry of Transportation should either take back the maintenance of our highways or stop using nickel and dime contractors thus putting lives at risk.
The government could also invest the “fine” money back into creating safer four-laned highways; wider paved shouldered roads that aren’t death traps.
And while we are at it, let’s reclassify our northern highways from Level 2 roads to Level 1 to ensure improved maintenance standards.
We pay first-rate taxes for third-rate road maintenance.
The sheer volume of traffic on northern roadways is a cause for concern and more and more trucks are traveling our highways brining goods to our communities.
Without pointing fingers at any one group of drivers, could those same goods not be shipped via rail service?
Rail service would alleviate the heavy volume of traffic on our roads and be much more environmentally friendly.
Truck drivers do not appreciate long wait times due to closed highways during winter months when law enforcement has closed sections of highways because they are simply too dangerous for vehicular traffic.
All drivers must take responsibility for driving habits, particularly when it comes to distracted driving (cell phones, texting, eating while driving, and speeding).
Driving a motor vehicle is a huge responsibility; let’s ensure the highest level of safety on our roads. Please join in and send a message to the provincial government representatives that our lives matter and to end the shabby road maintenance standards across the province.
Safe travels everyone!
Sue Nielsen
Northern Safe Roads Coalition member
Cobalt
