OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected] or via the website. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter was submitted by a frustrated driver after enduring a highway closure.
I had to drive from Orillia to Barrie for an important meeting on Thursday, Oct. 19, that I missed due to a closure of Highway 11 between Lines 11 and 12 in Oro Medonte.
I was inconvenienced for three hours, stopped in traffic.
I assumed there was a terrible accident possibly involving loss of life.
I learned later that a large truck had crossed the barrier separating the north and south lanes and ended up off the road. There were no serious injuries but the highway was closed, in both directions, for hours.
This was a total overreach that was unnecessary. The road could (should) have been secured and declared safe as soon as it was determined there were no serious personal injuries.
The delays resulted in incredible loss of productivity and inconvenience for thousands of people, plus the increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Tom Griffiths
Orillia
