THUNDER BAY – After a couple of years of treacherous winter highway conditions, the province is launching an action plan designed to ensure safer roads.
The Ministry of Transportation unveiled their winter highway maintenance action plan on Friday, which was created after a review by the Auditor General earlier this year found eight recommendations.
Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle said he has heard from many people in his riding who have had concerns about highway conditions, especially throughout the past two winters.
This new action plan from Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca will reinforce the requirement of the contractors to fulfill their responsibilities.
“There’s going to be a review of each and every single contract in the province at the end of each season. We’re not going to wait to see how it goes,” Gravelle said.
Included in the plan is a commitment to ensure contractors have enough equipment in working order, including a one-time readiness and preparation incentive this winter and requiring contractors to submit verification of their equipment.
Another recommendation is to encourage proactive use of de-icing materials, such as sand and salt, before winter storms as well as identifying proper times to use each. Road salt begins to lose effectiveness when temperatures go below – 12C and sand is recommended below – 18C.
It will also specify the amount of de-icing materials required during the bidding process for contracts.
“This requirement is now in place and will make sure that by looking at the historical averages that amount of salt, sand and de-icing equipment is there,” Gravelle said.
“What’s clear is there needs to be greater control from the centre. The ministry has added more people in responsible positions so they can monitor the work that is being done.”
A future suggestion is to specific the amount of de-icing materials required during the bidding process for contracts.
The Ontario 511 website and telephone line will be a point of emphasis, with a stronger mandate to have accurate and up to date road condition information.
The ministry is also going to add dash cams to patrol vehicles in hopes of improving awareness and the accuracy of reporting road conditions, as well as adding four new Road Weather Information Stations and increasing the number of road-side cameras.
According to the ministry, plowing must begin when two centimetres of snow or slush accumulates and spreading equipment is to be deployed within 30 minutes of the start of a winter storm.
The full list of recommendations is below:
- Having sufficient winter equipment in good working order
- Encourage proactive use of winter materials
- Awareness and accurate reporting of road conditions
- Improved reliability of Ontario 511 website
- Best-Value Procurement of Maintenance Contracts
- Oversight of contractor performance
- Accurate and meaningful reporting of bare pavement performance standards
- Monitor and assess remedial measures
