New safety measure are being placed at the junction of Highway 61 and Chippewa Road.
With the closure of the James Street Swing Bridge due to the Oct. 29 fire that damaged the structure, traffic at the highway junction has increased causing safety concerns.
Communications coordinator for Ontario's ministry of transportation Annemarie Piscopo said the MTO conducted traffic counts to assess the diverted traffic and found that traffic lights aren't warranted at this time.
They will be adding an overhead flashing beacon similar to the one at John Street Road and Mapleward Road and have changed three existing yield signs to larger yield signs.
"We're also installing additional warning signs as well. The idea is to provide more efficient travel in the area," Piscopo said.
Fort William First Nation Chief Georjann Morriseau spoke with the MTO about improving safety measures at the junction on Tuesday and said she was satisfied with the ministry's plan.
"Right at that junction it gets pretty congested," she said.
"They're putting up more signs a little further down so people are yielding long before they get to the intersection."
The re-opening of the pedestrian walkway on the James Street bridge has helped and Morriseau said she's in contact with Thunder Bay Transit to get more buses to the First Nation.
