NOCC call for improvements to Highway 11

NOCC Media Release

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At the Northeastern Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting held in North Bay on November 24th, NOCC passed a resolution to increase the number of passing lanes on Highway 11 between Temiskaming Shores and Cochrane.

In the policy letter to Minister Donna Cansfield, Minister of Transportation, NOCC is requesting the Provincial and Federal Governments develop a plan of action to increase the number of passing lanes on the Highway 11 corridor-particularly on the section from Temiskaming Shores to Cochrane. Increasing the number of passing lanes will improve the safety of travelers to and from Northern Ontario.

‘Highway 11, being the Trans-Canada Highway, is commonly used for long haul trucking as a connection between Northern and Southern Ontario. With Highway 11 between Temiskaming Shores and Cochrane only having two lanes poses a safety threat to travelers to and from the North’, Kidd said. ‘While the need to increase passing lanes on Highway 11 does not necessarily relate to the amount of traffic, the safety of vehicles is the issue. Unsafe passes will be made when there is a lack of passing lanes available, and when you mix in winter conditions we face in the North, the issue becomes even greater’.

Another concern NOCC is raising to Minister Cansfield is increased maintenance on Highway 11. NOCC is asking the Provincial and Federal Governments to develop a plan of action to increase scheduled maintenance on the Highway 11 corridor, particularly on the section between North Bay and Hearst in terms of construction quality, maintenance, signage, snow fencing, line painting, etc. Better signage for towns, tourism activities and local businesses can increase traffic to Northeastern Ontario towns. Increasing maintenance on Highway 11 will better insure the safety of travelers to and from Northern Ontario. ‘The safety of travellers on Highway 11 due to maintenance issues by the government is a concern we hope to abolish,’ Kidd said.

‘Highways play a large role in the tourism industry in Northeastern Ontario, which we would also like to see increase. Businesses benefit from more tourism in the region’, Kidd said. ‘NOCC is working towards the betterment of the Northeastern Ontario economy as a whole.’

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Passing Lanes letter

Maintenance letter