SARNIA, Ont. (July 28, 2004) — The Ministry of Transportation has announced it will implement a number of improvements to Hwy. 402 leading up to the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia, Ont.

The plan was recently discussed at a safety meeting attended by the Ontario Trucking Association, Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Provincial Police and the Sarnia Police.

Convened by the Blue Water Bridge Authority after the latest in a series of fatal accidents on the highway, the meeting produced several short-term measures aimed at eliminating end-of-queue collisions occurring on the approach to the bridge. The proposals will reportedly take effect within the next two weeks. They include:

Additional permanent warning signs will be erected cautioning commercial motor vehicles of delays and slow moving or stopped vehicles. An additional portable variable message sign will be been erected 900 meters east of Modeland Road. They will only be remotely activated when back ups or delays are occurring.

The posted speed limits approaching the Blue Water Bridge will be reduced east of Airport Road to the existing 70 km/h zone at Colborne Road. Motorists using the westbound lanes will be required to reduce speed to 80 km/h from east of Airport Road to east of the Blackwell Side Road overpass. Drivers will also be required to reduce their speed to 70 km/h from the Blackwell Road overpass to the existing 70 km/h zone at Colborne Road.

The Lambton O.P.P. Traffic Management Unit along with the Western Region Traffic Unit will continue to monitor the traffic and queue vehicles. All highway users are informed that non-compliance of these reduced speed limits will result in strict enforcement.