Watching a car pass a full school bus, narrowly squeezing by a transport barreling forward in the oncoming lane was my breaking point! 

Highway 138 was built in the 1960s. It connects the two 400 series highways in the eastern counties: HWY 401 in the south and HWY 417 in the north. This 36km stretch of road consists of two single lanes, and crosses towns such as Monkland, St-Andrews, Bonville, while finishing (or starting!) in the northern border of Cornwall, Ontario. It’s therefore primarily used for commuters who drive to Cornwall or head north-west to Ottawa for work. It’s also a major artery used by transports to access the border crossing to the United States in Cornwall.

A simple google search confirms an obvious reality – HWY 138 is a DANGEROUS road. One very poignant article by the Seaways News states that there was an average of *one accident per week* in 2020 and that “According to statistics over the past three years, the rate of accidents on Hwy 138 increases every year” (Fifty one accidents on Hwy 138 in 2019 - cornwallseawaynews.com). There was also a statement from the Mayor, indicating that some changes are coming to improve the safety of this HWY – A roundabout here and a passing lane there - with few concrete or measurable timelines. 

Anyone driving on HWY 138 has been passed during snowstorms, around blind corners, through intersections and in conditions of poor visibility. And this continues to happen EVERY DAY!

I'm calling on Minister Caroline Mulroney to make highway 138 safer now! Either through prioritizing infrastructure changes (e.g., adding passing lanes or widening the road where there are fewer private properties), increasing police presence, or any other approach that will keep drivers safe. 

Appreciating that county or "back" roads do exist, highway 138 is the most direct route to Cornwall, and the fastest route from Cornwall to Ottawa (for those commuting north for work). 

I realize that infrastructure changes take time, and that’s especially the case with the backlog of work from the pandemic. However, let me remind you of the statement from the Seaway news – THIS WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORST if we don’t act now!!

Minister Mulroney - Show your constituents that you care about their safety! One accident per WEEK on a 36km stretch of highway should be all the proof needed. 

Thank you for your support!