|
From: Woolley,
Campbell (JUS)
Sent: April 9, 2008 9:56 AM
To: McCuaig,
Julia (JUS); Stewart, Sally (JUS)
Subject: Niagara
Construction- Big Delays-GPS Issues-More!!
Several good stories here!!:
1) Winter season is over, new season called
"Construction". Big problems for travelers going to/through Niagara.
2) Motorists over-reliance on basic GPS….Unless
properly programmed (maybe!) GPS won't/can't figure out alternate routes
around crashes/construction delays. Some GPS software now out-of-date,
and missing major roads. Some travel route-maps alleged to give only one
route into big border delays.
3) Smart/ informed motorists can avoid 3-hour border
waits!
4) Watch your speed in any construction area….if you
are going 130km/h on 400 series (or QEW) and enter Construction Zone"
posted at 80km/h (going 50 km/h over the limit as per Ont. Reg. 455/07
…your vacation is over! Your car will be impounded, and license
suspended 1 week under Sec 172 HTA
See info below from Staff Sergeant Jan Idzenga,
of Niagara Detachment. I can help with the generic
stuff, and Jan is available to discuss Niagara issues.
Sgt. Cam Woolley
O.P.P. Highway Safety Division
(905)841-5777
Office
(416)692-1521
Pager
(416)809-9070
Cellular
The MTO is
presently in the midst of its biggest construction project in it's history. The
QEW through St.Catharines is in the process of
being widened to 6 lanes from it's present 4. This requires the building and
removing of many structures (overpasses and underpasses). Through St.Catharines, the QEW has been turned into a
construction zone with the QEW being deviated from it's normal alignment and
with shoulders in the area being narrowed considerably and in some areas
eliminated. Jersey barriers line both shoulders giving a perception
of the highway narrowing and traffic moving in on people. The elimination of
shoulders creates all sorts of issues in relation to; escape routes for
vehicles coming to an abrupt stop, a safe place for vehicles experiencing
mechanical problems to get to, an emergency route for responding emergency
vehicles ect. The MTO has obtained an order
reducing the speed limit on the QEW between 7th St and the Garden City skyway
from 100 km/hr to 80 km/h. MTO has done a great job of identifying the new
speed limit change with oversize signs and fluorescent "NEW" burst
attached to the "80 Begins" signs. Being a designated construction
zone, speeding fines trough this area will double when workers are present.
With spring now here, construction activity is starting up and a worker
presence will be pretty much 24/7. The biggest hit will be those that
regularly travel at a speed of 130 km/h. Now in the construction zone, at 130
you may loose your vehicle and license for 7 days under section 172 of the
HTA and a doubling of that fine…….pretty steep bill to pay..
*Why Niagara is a very popular area for GTA residence
heading to the many tourist attractions in the Niagara area, from the casino, the falls itself,
Great Wolf Lodge, the vast number of wineries, Niagara on The Lake, and the list goes on (as well as home to
many tourist bus and commercial vehicle operators). We have been doing a
pretty decent job at keeping the issues in the media locally, issues of speed
and potential traffic problems associated with collisions and traffic delays
caused by collisions in this stretch of highway, and the impact it has on the
region, and as a main artery to the US, the economy. What we are finding
however is that a lot of motorists traveling through this area are from the
GTA heading to our vast number of tourist attractions and border destinations.
What we need to do is educate the GTA residence a little bit on what to
expect heading to Niagara. The traffic volume during the summer
season on the QEW is bad enough with extensive backlogs from Niagara right through to St Catharines. Add a problem in the construction zone
and we have potentially, some serious problems.
Those
heading to Niagara have to do some pre trip planning. First
they need to be aware of the construction and the reduced speed limit in the
area. They need to slow down. Travelers need to know their alternate
routes. The MTO has posted a detour route that many do not take advantage of.
By exiting the QEW at the 406 and taking the 406 to Hwy 58, Hwy 58 through
the Thorold Tunnel to Thorold
Stone Rd and back to the QEW at Thorold Stone Rd,
this is all 4 lane highways that can help alleviate some of the congestion on
the QEW through the construction zone. If motorists were aware of this route
they can easily make their way around a potential problem if there were on in
the construction area.
Another
area of preplanning and education is through the use of IT technology and
information. Many motorists now employ the use of GPS mapping devices and
hand held communication devices with GPS mapping technology. The use of
internet mapping systems such as Mapquest and
Google are often employed as well as services such as CAA trip tickets.
Unfortunately a lot of these systems only give you one route to your
destination and as such will only go that one route. The US and Canadian
Border services as well as the various Bridge Commissions in Niagara, have
been working hard at coming up with pretty accurate border delay times at the
various bridge crossings. They have partnered with MTO in having these times
posted on the variable message boards on the QEW indicating the delay times
for cars and trucks at the various bridges so motorists can make an informed
decision as to which bridge they would need to take to shorten their trip.
Each agency host web sites with continual updates on these delay times. By
training your devices ahead of time, you can select a route that will least
impact your travel time. Of the three border crossings in Niagara, there are easy routes once you cross the
border to get you back to any of the original routes you may have planned.
Again by training your devices or doing some preplanning, you may save
yourself time but also assist in managing the heavy traffic congestion on the
QEW.
Jan Idzenga
Staff Sergeant
Detachment
Commander
Niagara Detachment
O.P.P. Highway Safety Division
Phone (905)
356-1311 Ext. 4410
Pager
1-888-236-9085
Cell (905) 351-7249
|
