January 25, 2012
Police unhappy with
highway conditions?
by Denise Walker
Laurentian Hills may have found a key ally in their efforts to improve
winter road conditions on Highway 17.
Mayor Dick Rabishaw told council last week that the OPP “have committed
to be a thorn in the Ministry of Transport’s side” because of the poor
road conditions.
Rabishaw said the subject came up at the police services board meeting
held earlier in the day.
During the recent winter storm, parts of Highway 17 were closed for
several hours.
The OPP explained that they closed the road because of the severe
weather and poor road conditions.
Rabishaw said that Sergeant Girard, who is the lead officer for
Laurentian Hills, told the police board that there was a clear
difference in the condition of the highway after Petawawa.
“He (Girard) had come down from Arnprior today on dry pavement until he
reached Petawawa. After that the road was icy,” said Rabishaw.
“On the night of the storm there was seven inches of snow on the road
up here.”
Deputy Mayor Anne Giardini suggested the town enlist support from
Atomic Energy of Canada and Base Petawawa.
“I know the condition of Highway 17 had been on AECL’s agenda,” she
told council.
Council agreed they would seek whatever support they could find to put
pressure on MTO to set higher standards of winter maintenance for the
highway.
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