SARNIA, Ont. (July 13, 2004) — A fatal crash involving a truck driver has propelled a meeting today between city, police, government, and trucking officials to look at the rising number of collisions on Hwy. 402 leading up to the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia, Ont.

The Blue Water Bridge Authority called the meeting after yesterday’s accident, in which trucker Paul LeBlanc, 38, of St. Catharines died after his tractor-trailer slammed into a stopped tanker truck at the end of a vehicle lineup waiting to cross the bridge. That caused a chain reaction that sent the tanker crashing into a flatbed in front of it. The driver of the tanker and flatbed were not seriously hurt.

Officials blamed the long backup on the bridge for the accident — the 27th recorded on Hwy. 402 since January. Police at the scene told the London Free Press that there’s indications LeBlanc, travelling close to 100 km/h, didn’t brake — either because he wasn’t paying attention or didn’t see the lineup of idled trucks ahead.

Representatives from the city, the OPP, Sarnia police, the Ontario Transportation Ministry, and the Ontario Trucking Association will take part in the meeting. Some suggestions expected to be discussed include: Gradually reducing the speed limit approaching the bridge to 70 km/h; adding a third, truck-only lane; additional signs and road markings; and additional pre-clearance centres before the Blue Water Bridge.

The Ambassador Bridge Authority in Windsor already operates a pre-processing centre in London Ont., just before Sarnia. But that facility is primarily designed to handle traffic approaching Windsor, Ont. from the east. The centre does not pre-clear trucks to cross the border, but simply collects and forwards processed information to Customs officials before the truck arrives at the border.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley told the Free Press he would like to see electronic signs and the warning light systems improved, adding that the signage describing upcoming traffic situations isn’t specific enough.

Mike Bradley and Ontario Trucking Association President David Bradley have both made headlines in regards to another local trucking issue. The two have traded verbal volleys over the issue of noisy Ontario-based truckers honking their horns at night during backups on Hwy. 402 leading to the bridge.

The OTA’s Bradley said he would take the message to his members, but added that the Blue Water Bridge’s Advisory Committee is the proper forum to handle the problem, if one even exists.

The Sarnia Mayor dismissed the suggestion, and insisted he’ll ask police to begin cracking down on noisy truckers immediately.

— with files from the London Free Press