Listen Live
HomeNewsWest Nipissing council says no to Highway 11 becoming 400 series highway

West Nipissing council says no to Highway 11 becoming 400 series highway

It’s a resounding no from West Nipissing council to have Highway 11 turned into a 400 series highway.

Council was responding to a request from North Bay city council to change the four-lane portion of Highway 11 to Highway 411.

North Bay councillor Mike Anthony introduced the motion which his colleagues supported.

West Nipissing councillor Chris Fisher was very vocal in his opposition to the request saying it was not well thought out.

- Advertisement -

Fisher said the change in designation had too many problems.

Fisher said a roadway gets a 400 series designation for very specific reasons and having four-lanes is not the only reason.

“It’s the way the interchanges work,” Fisher said.

“It’s also sight lines, speed limits, lane setups, safety standards, all kinds of stuff from the MTO.  The 11 doesn’t meet them.  Sections of it do and sections of it don’t”.

Fisher says there’s another issue and it has to do with Ontario’s graduated licensing system.

Fisher says people need a G2 license to drive on a 400 series highway and that’s going to be a problem if the local roadway is designated Highway 411.

“So kids just getting their license wouldn’t be able to travel the highway,” Fisher said.

“That highway connects to small communities.  So they wouldn’t be able to travel to jobs, friends or school and that’s just wrong.”

Fisher said it was like North Bay council wants the provincial government to throw out the rule book.

Councillor Jeremy Seguin also had concerns with the request.

Seguin says considering the Ford government may increase the speed limit on 400 series highways to 110 kilometres an hour, will Highway 11 also see a bump in its speed limit if it becomes Highway 411.

Seguin also doesn’t buy North Bay’s argument that people in the GTA confuse  North Bay for Thunder Bay.

Another councillor, Denis Senecal, said if turning Highway 11 into the 411 meant that the roadway would finally be four-laned all the way to Timmins, then he was okay with the idea.

Councillor Roland Larabie suggested looking into the matter further because normally 400 series highways get better service.

However, the points raised by Larabie and Senecal became moot when the North Bay resolution didn’t get support from West Nipissing council.

- Advertisment -
- Advertisment -
- Advertisement -

Continue Reading