NEWS

Ministry of Transportation

Statement from the Minister of Transportation on Highway 401 Median

Barriers in Chatham Kent and Elgin County

STATEMENT February 5, 2018

Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Transportation, released the following statement on Highway 401
median barriers in Chatham Kent and Elgin County:

“Our government is committed to ensuring that our roads remain the safest in North America. As
the Minister of Transportation and as the MPP for a community in Southwestern Ontario I took
the decision on how best to improve safety on Highway 401 between London and Tilbury very
seriously. This decision came after additional work and analysis by ministry staff and many
important conversations with families and advocates who have personally felt the impact of a
fatal collision on this highway.

We will be building a concrete barrier. However before we do so, we need to do the necessary
planning work, which includes an Environmental Assessment to widen this stretch of Highway
401.

The planning work will take time and we cannot afford to wait to make this highway safer for the
Ontarians who rely on it each and every day. That is why in the short term we will be installing
high-tension cable barriers.

The team at MTO has found a way to expedite the installation of these barriers, starting in a few
months, so that they will be up sooner than originally planned. High-tension cable barriers will
enhance safety on this stretch of highway as has been proven in many other jurisdictions,
including Michigan.

This process is about making the right decisions to improve road safety, and that is why our
path forward balances the need for quick action while also planning for the next steps. I know
that this conversation about road safety will not end today, and I would like to thank the
advocates and their families for their work to-date. We can only make our roads safer when we
work together.”

Celso Pereira, Minister's Office, Celso.Pereira2@ontario.ca ontario.ca/transportation-news

Bob Nichols, Communications Branch, 416-327-1158 Disponible en français