Page 27 - Newcom

Winter driving conditions and deteriorating highways in Western Canada can be stressful for drivers.
Manitoba
Accidents along the South Perimeter Highway, on the south edge of Winnipeg, continue to rise, so much so that Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA) executive direc- tor Terry Shaw said the government is taking short-term steps to remedy the problem while they look at long- term solutions.
“Our concern with the short term steps is that they remove access, meaning problems are pos- sibly just moved down the road with significant extra miles for
all road users,” said Shaw. “If the ‘short term’ really is short term then that shouldn’t be an issue. However, the longer term plan is fully expected to cost $1 billion plus and the province is currently, and dramatically, reducing road infrastructure budgets.”
Shaw would also like to see improvements to Hwy 17 in Northwestern Ontario. Though not in Manitoba, several MTA members use the highway regularly, and Shaw says the road is “treacherous.”
Another road that needs improve- ment to ensure the safety of truck drivers and the public, accord-
ing to Shaw, is Hwy 75 through St. Norbert leading to the Emerson/ Penbina port, the fifth busiest port in Canada.
“There are literally crosswalks on that road so citizens can get from
a community center to residential areas,” said Shaw. “It’s crazy.”
Northern Canada
If it’s not deteriorating roads, the isolation, lack of services, or abun- dance of wildlife that causes issues for motorists in Canada’s north, it will undoubtedly be the weather.
RCMP officer Marie York-Condon in the N.W.T. echoed the number of hazards commercial driver face in her region, adding that driver need to plan their route carefully.
“Research your route, under- standing there can be vast stretches of road without cell phone coverage,” she said. “This can affect the response times for emergencies and should be taken into consideration using extra caution. Check weather before departing, and be prepared for unexpected delays due to chang- ing road and weather conditions.”
Between 2010 and 2017 there were 474 collisions involving com- mercial trucks in the Yukon, result- ing in 125 injuries and five fatalities. Hwy 1 (Alaska Highway) is the by far the busiest highway in the Yukon, with 143 of the 474 truck collisions occurring here. Hwy 2 (Klondike Highway) accounted for 43 colli- sions, and Hwy 4 (Robert Campbell Highway) 16.
Non-highway incidents involving trucks numbered 250. TW
Ewart pointed out that until recently there were no commu- nication services for businesses and trucks operating in the north, which put drivers in danger should they break down or need other assistance.
“This is typically why northern folks have such a good perception of our industry because truck drivers have saved many lives by picking up stranded people who had no means to call for help,” she said.
The provincial government announced this year its intention to build a highway to replace an ice road to access the north.
But that’s not the only need for Saskatchewan’s northern “highway” system. Ewart said Hwy 155 – the only road in and out of La Loche and only highway north of Meadow Lake, was voted Canada’s worst road last year.
“It is not only an access issue,
it is a safety issue,” said Ewart. “Highway 2 is the only highway to connect the mid and east portions of the northern part of the province. There is a vast amount of resources in the north, including timber and uranium, which generate revenue for the province.”
Russ Turgeon, membership devel- opment and service coordinator for the STA, said the provincial govern- ment does have a plan to address highway upgrades, but more needs to be done.
“I would like to see an initiative where Highway 16, the Yellowhead Highway,
is twinned from its current spot east
of Saskatchewan to the Manitoba border,” he said, “and Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments work together to twin this highway from the border to where it intersects with Highway 1 in Manitoba.”
October 2018 • Truck West 27