Truck parking spaces open on Hwy. 402 near Sarnia, Ont.
A former north commercial vehicle inspection facility on Highway 402 near Sarnia, Ont., has been transformed into an official parking area for trucks.
The construction project, begun in March 2021, is now complete, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation confirms.
The rest area is accessed from the westbound lanes and will accommodate up to 13 commercial vehicles, with 12 spaces for tractor-trailers and one for a Long Combination Vehicle (LCV).
It represents a $1.5 million investment.
The work included repaving the parking area, opening a temporary washroom facility, repairing the entrance and exit ramps, pavement markings and signage, new approach and parking area lighting, and a pair of cameras to monitor the site, a ministry spokesperson told Today’s Trucking.
“The government recognizes that there is a significant need for more truck parking across the province,” the spokesperson added, referring to a previously announced five-year plan that includes repairing or expanding 14 existing rest areas, building 10 new rest areas, and adding 178 additional truck parking spaces at four existing ONroute Centres.
SPR Associates of Toronto, a consulting firm behind a $280,000 study into truck parking in southern Ontario, has openly criticized Ontario’s response to the shortage. Its research called for more than 350 new parking spots per year, complete with emergency measures such as partnering with municipalities and repurposing public lands.
Have your say
This is a moderated forum. Comments will no longer be published unless they are accompanied by a first and last name and a verifiable email address. (Today's Trucking will not publish or share the email address.) Profane language and content deemed to be libelous, racist, or threatening in nature will not be published under any circumstances.
13 spaces… wow that’s going solve the issue of parking..
Wow ! $1.5 million to create parking spaces for a dozen trucks. This will sure help with the parking shortage. Our Government at work doing what they do best. lol
The trip across northern Ontario is totally lacking in truck facilities. Whether using hwy 11 or 400/69/17, the places available to stop with food or washroom and parking for large trucks are few and far between. In a lot of situations, forcing drivers to finish their hours early or be in violation of over hour because it’s so far between places they can safely stop.
12 regular spots and only 1 LCV spot. Better than nothing at all I suppose. Now if we can just keep John Q. Public with their tiny pop up trailers or the ones with the bigger ones from taking a place for a commercial truck.
Pulled into a place last night. A car with a pop up tent trailer, which could have parked up front, was in one place, guess he wanted to pretend he was a truck driver. Another fellow with a larger trailer and the extensions open took up 2 places.
That’s just not right. We need those places much more than someone on holiday.
Wow – a little over 100k per parking spot and only 13. If they really want to do some good, rearrange all the inspection stations into truck parking, that would be a double good for trucking
I spent many years running the highway and there has never been enough spots to get off the road to rest or just to relieve one’s self. It is really nice to finally see some upgraded areas but would any one of these ministry employees use these outhouses everyday in their office environment? I think not. The one site that really blows my mind is the brake check area on top of Thibeau Hill in North Bay. They created this excellent site by blowing out several hundred thousand tons of rock then they planted to concrete outhouses on the site. They smell so bad in summer it is discusting then in winter they lock the doors and bring in plastic portapotties. They are not looked after in the winter and they are disgusting. My main point here is when they dynamited several hundred thousand tons of rock what did that cost? For another perhaps $30,000.00 could they not have run in a well and installed a septic system or even holding tanks that get pumped out on a regular basis? Then build a real little rest area with flush toilets and sinks, imagine treating the traveling public like human beings, what would people think? I am well aware that these sites can be vandalized and damaged but just go to the USA, the rest areas in some places are managed by charities and they collect the revenue from the vending machines etc while keeping the places clean. If the Ministry personal would be happy to work and use outdoor toilets etc in this the 21st century we would too but they are not subjected to the conditions the average over the road driver is subjected too everyday. Just go to one of Ontario’s scales, the scale house has a flush toilet and a sink. Out in the yard the truck drivers find one or two plastic toilets and usually no place to wash their hands yet there is a well and septic system for the employees in the scale house. Why? Such a farce!
It is more than 1,000 parking spots short across Ont. We need another 2,000 tractor and trailer parking spots 300 for dropped trailers and 500 spots for buses and smaller straight trucks in Ontario Half of these new spots should have 20 amp electric plugs and bathrooms and shower with WI Fi
Now I hope all companies have penalties for drivers that drop their garbage and piss bottles in these new facilities.
The fines should be a minimum of $1000 for anyone dropping garbage or piss bottles.
People should understand this is not you property but it is your country
Please keep it clean for your children and your grandchildrens future so they can have clean country to live in.