Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 21, 1997, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winding Highway exacts deadly toll too Many people Are being killed9 on death strip saturday free june a11 by Melanie Verhaeghe for the free press Kenora the first thing to Greet Drivers on Highway 17 East of Kenora is a big Canary yellow sign of a charging Moose that reads night next 72 kilo but wandering wildlife is the least of a travellers concerns on this winding stretch of the Tran Canada Highway from Kenora to Vermilion dubbed the death tight holes in the Middle of the no unprotected Blind piles of fallen Rock and Asphalt contaminated with pcs have inspired area Resi dents and readers digest Magazine to give the strip its lethal the Highway was originally built with As Little intrusion on the land and rocks As As a the Highway twists and curves around the rugged terrain of lakes and Forest 80 curves in 72 those dangerous curves have claimed the lives of 19 people since from 1994 to there were 319 139 injuries and seven deaths on this stretch of were aware of How bad it there Are a lot of Hills and Blind its not the Best Road to be trav Elling said Mike Charlton of the Ontario provincial their were so Many complaints Frorer Drivers and truckers that Ontario minister of transportation took an Opp guided tour of the High Way last year and agreed it needed last work on Kilometres of the death strip work is under Way to Widen the pave the shoulders and blast away some of the Graffiti Laden Rock face that makes for Blind too Many people Are being said Highway site Engineer Carlo but theres another 60 Kilometres that Are still Treacher driving this your hands Brace the wheel tighter As rust and Vanilla coloured rocks lean precariously closer to the Highway so close at times you feel yourself the sides of the two Lane Highway Are often flanked by straight drops Down with nothing to hold a vehicle gone Are the Days of Metal guard now they Call them guide rails evenly spaced logs hammered into the Roadside tied together with three thick strands of there is no shoulder to Stop on in Case of an and when there is its a narrow pile of while waiting to pass around a Rock blasting Drivers Are visited by a Young female construction worker who tells them to Roll up their windows and close the vents because pc dust is being blown around on this Windy there not exactly sure what it does to the human there Haven been enough studies but i guess know in 20 said the who int wearing any breathing Protection about 10 years a truck carry ing pcs from a Hydro transformer spilled the dangerous chemical on at least 16 different spots before some one informed the Driver that some thing was now the pc Laden Asphalt is being crushed up and buried within a Rock embankment at the realigned Dogtooth the pcs Are wrapped in a rubber Mem Brane and then said Bevan acting manager of the construction office of the ministry of besides dodging Dri vers also have to watch out for those six have been killed in the past month the flies Are quite bad and the mosquitoes seem to be exceptionally aggressive right now and its moving them out into the open said Al enforcement officer with Ontario ministry of natural a lot of people Arent used to Dri ving in big game you have to watch the next thing you Tom wee press Gustaf son checks grades for a pit which will contain pc Laden the in will be part of the youve got this big Black thing in front of you and its too Drivers dont have much Choice but to endure the obstacle course on Highway 17 its the Only East West route through people always seem to be in a hurry and they dont want to slow said newly appointed Long Bow Lake fire chief Darryl its narrow and its an old Highway with lots of holes in it and lots of the Highway is heavily travelled by truckers and at least 50 per cent of the accidents involve Semi Trail Schott estimates at least 20 trucks pass by every half an residents Here say tourists and travellers have to slow Down on unfamiliar roadways and be More patient with semitrailer who move slower on its not usually local people who get Hurt its people from out of town who dont know the Road As Well As we said Surveyor Lorraine Susan Stening works at the Esso station at Longbow the first Stop before Kenora heading one time we were going on a bus tour and we get there because there were five transport trucks All turned there Are a lot of bad Corners and bad i think there fixing the worst but the rest should be the Canadian automobile association is lobbying Ottawa to dedicate two cents from a 10cent fuel tax to finance new roads and repair old and a group of volunteers called northerners is also pressuring the government for bids build Hope come show your support tonight june 21 Kildonan place is hosting an exciting evening of fast paced live music and family get some great deals while helping flood victims All proceeds to Canadian red Cross flood Relief pop prize balloons on Sale by Kinney shoes Rainbow silent auction in the Bay aisle live auction on Centre court stage begins Many valuable items including a thank you to the following stores and Neighbours of Kildonan place for contributing auction items Sears Success shows Palliser furniture a Colon Stewart Scott insurance for Anis Peoples jewellers red River arts and crafts sport chek Ben Moss accurate Dorwin Glass Blacks cameras Vandale air conditioning and heating limited Wood Wyant its phone Centre brass n Lite wetland Wildwood club its mobility Draco windows Polar windows the Bay Mappins naturalized Oslea consultants Alma Akins Bootlegger Sun Mart sunrooms United distillers athletes world radio Shack hospitality corporation Reitmann Royal Winnipeg Ballet Aura hair design ocl spas and billiards 5000 Lawn and decor Algon construction import Export All weather windows Lens rafters Manitoba theatre Centra Watkins Millers school of music escape communications i Astral photo celebrations dinner theatre Ernie gun tickle shop Wanda Shum design Lite More hotel fort Garry Boes Winnipeg symphony orchestra Best sleep Centre Lewis Craft Shareek computers Kozy trends Sunrise health foods future shop quarks hallmark cards Home Lawn ceramics fun Mountain Rainbow stage paddle wheel Tours wow hospitality Royal Fork restaurant Prairie theatre Exchange movies Southern tropical plants acad Rny florists Addi Lonelle Regis cafe Elk lapse revolutions Assiniboia Downs Coles Quarry Oaks we would like to gratefully acknowledge the generous contributions of the following suppliers Branigan restaurant and bar Gray advertising prolific graphics hot digital dog Central graphics signs now vital signs idea productions Serenata Latina Central display Fol Lorama James Lackya streamers Winnipeg free press Belay re rentals q94fm 1290 talk radio qx104fm Job Canadian publishers Power 97 office depot Parks and recreation Winnipeg free press place tear out the valuable coupons in the Green Section of your new Winnipeg yellow pages take a mis advanced correction notice in our b54 summer spectacular play table play told soccer and hockey toys on Page 11 will be late rain checks will be available at the roller Derby inline skates scorpion inline skates on Page 11 the photos Are sorry for any inconvenience this May have walk june 10 to for More info 7838654 222 Umici Tysall 41a3m5 pm Tabe 9569899 vital Square 845 Dakota 9569894 9569898 toll free Kinum Anouce shopping Centre 6541328 Manitoba largest selection of party rental supplies China flatware glassware tables i Morrer Champagne fountains candelabras a smart idea for parties of All sizes rent it and party two great one great location 657 Century Street North of Ellice 7868756 closing out Sale Dillon Home fashions 263 Edmonton at Graham ave additional reductions have been taken throughout the store time is running out saturday sunday monday 1 up to off All Simmons mattresses Simmons Iron Shower and Home All sales final each the University of Winnipeg continuing education division offers English 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