Matt Prentice, Director, Operations brought a report to Council (Jan. 8/24) that raised many concerns regarding the possible re-location of road closure signage during significant winter weather events on Hwy. 21 at the south end of Port Elgin.
The request to investigate the Hwy. 21 winter conditions road closure location south of Port Elgin was identified as a 2023 Division Highlight for the Community Services and Operations Department.
The current location of the road closure is Concession 6 (commonly known locally as CAW road) and the request was to explore the possible relocation of the road closure to Concession 4 (known locally as McGregor Park turn-off).
The question arose due to the proposed new hotel to be built on Hwy. 21 immediately south of the Concession 6 and Hwy. 21. According to the hotel proposal, the exit and entrance would be accessed from Hwy. 21, which in fact places it beyond the road-closed signage when placed during a winter event.
Prentice explained that three organizations partner to activate road closures – the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), and the Town of Saugeen Shores (the Town).
- OPP decides and activates the road closure
- MTO decides where the road closures on highways are located and is responsible for arranging the closure
- The Town is responsible for installing the road closure barricade, signage, and programs the traffic control lights on flash
A meeting with MTO representatives was held on November 7(2023), to discuss the consideration for the possible relocation of the road closure to Concession 4.
The following list of concerns was provided by the MTO following the discussion:
1. The current location is at the MTO right of way/Port Elgin limits. Moving it to Concession 4 pushes the closure approximately 2 km into the MTO right of way and creates a potential for liability regarding maintenance of this stretch during a significant winter event.
2. There is no overhead illumination at the proposed location. The current location is illuminated and has traffic signals.
3. The proposed location is in an 80 km/hour zone. The current location is in a 50 km/hour zone. Increased speed equals the possibility of safety issues.
4. The current location is a flat section of road with good visibility heading towards the closure from all directions. The proposed location is at the bottom of two hills with reduced visibility. Again, a safety issue.
5. The ease of rerouting traffic at the current location versus the difficulty of rerouting traffic back to Port Elgin at the proposed location. Potential for vehicles to be stranded or forced to turn around on the highway.
6. The added difficulty of turning winter equipment around at the proposed location versus the relative variety of turnaround spots at the current location.
7. More issues with snow drifting and reduced visibility during winter events at the proposed location.
8. MTO cannot see any advantages for MTO in moving the closure location.
“From the town’s operations perspective,” added Prentice, “there are additional concerns from an operations perspective and the support that the town provides in installing the barricade and signage.”
1. Regarding MTO items 2, 3, 4, and 7, it would be unsafe in bad winter conditions to send staff to Concession 4 to place the barricades and signage to close the road.
2. The Concession 6 location offers adequate logistics and a safer opportunity for transport vehicles to turn around or pull off the road when the road closure is activated. If the road closure is relocated to Concession 4, this would be virtually impossible.
3. Bruce Road 25 and Bruce Road 33 are, in fact, the designated alternate routes for Bruce Power employees to use when the Highway is closed, which is consistent with the existing Concession 6 location. The existing route is supported by the County operators maintaining that route as a priority. If the road closure were relocated to Concession 4, the onus would then be on the Town to maintain Concession 4 to a higher standard to ensure access to Bruce Road 33.
Deputy Mayor Diane Huber said that another reason for the relocation question concerns the community south of Concession 6 (at the airport turn-off), where many people now live year-round and where road-closed signage “… mitigates them from an access into Port Elgin. I understand the MTO’s and Town’s position but would like to see some communication with those residents to make sure they understand why.”
Fire Chief Ed Melanson said that the Public Education team had, in fact, created a flyer that they took door-to-door in the community involved that lays out what to do in an emergency such as having a 75-hour preparedness kit for an emergency situation such as a road closure. “We met with a significant number of residents there and the response from those people was very good.”
Vice-Deputy Mayor Mike Myatt also raised questions pertaining to the proposed Hyatt hotel and the fact that, when built, would also be beyond the barrier.
Councillor John Divinski pointed out that in 2021 at a planning meeting where he had said that “… guests would be held ‘prisoner’ if the highway closes unless there is a second exit onto Guyer Drive, which the developer was not interested in doing. Guests driving on a closed road to access Port Elgin could create all sorts of problems. We still haven’t solved that problem. It would be a rare happening, but it could happen. I don’t have a solution but … and exit on Guyer Drive would be perfect.”
“It’s inconvenient when the roads close but they close for good reasons in the winter time,” said Mayor Luke Charbonneau. “I grew up between Southampton and Port Elgin … so I know first-hand what it’s like to be that close to town and not be able to get there because the road is closed. Businesses like Gingrich’s service centre, open all winter … and when the road is closed suffer the consequences. I expect they build that into their businesses expectations as other businesses will do. Is it something we want to have happen? No. Iks it something that happens on occasion where we live? Yes, and it will affect businesses and residences and that’s the way it is for their safety. The important things is that we communicate adequately with those in areas that may be closed and how they should prepare for that eventuality. In the end, looking this analysis, this is the right call and is the right place for the closure to be.”
The Mayor went on to say that, wherever the signage is located, it is still a risk to those staff who go out in a blizzard to place them. “In other places, I have seen signs that are in place year-round and automatically (remotely) turn on and perhaps that something we should look at in the 2025 budget.
Following MTO and internal conversations, it is concluded that the location for winter road closures remains at Concession 6 and that there is no further investigation required at this time.
