5 trouble spots on Ottawa-area highways

By Paul Jay, CBC News

Over the years, many highways extending through the Ottawa-Gatineauregion have developed a fearsome reputation. Highway 17 is often referred to as a 'killer' or 'death' highway by residents west of Ottawa, while Highway 148 in the Outaouaishas a similar legacy.Highway 105 in Quebec, before the extension of Highway 5, carried a similar reputation and to some extent still does.

But to understand the problems commuters and travellersface, CBC Ottawa obtaineddata for the most recent 10-year period available (from 2001 to 2010) for fatal collisions. The information was obtainedfrom Ontario's Ministry of Transportation, Ottawa police (for R.R. 174), Transport Quebec and the City ofGatineau(for Hwy 148 collisions within city limits). The information for both Transport Quebec and the City of Gatineauwas acquired after CBC and Radio-Canada filed access to information requests.

The map is limited to the following highways, or segments of highways, coming in and out of the National Capital Region:

• Highway 417.
• Highway 416.
• Highway 17 west fromArnpriortoMattawa, Ont.
• Highway 7 from Ottawa south to Tweed, Ont.
• R.R. 174.
• Highway 5.
• Highway 105 north toManiwaki, Que.
• Highway 148 east toGrenville, Que.
• The western portion of Highway 50 before it was linked to the eastern portion.

After looking at the data, hereare five areas of interest where collisions were either more frequent or clustered together:

Highway 17 west ofArnprior

• Twinning of 'death highway' a slow work in progress

The area: There were 38 fatal collisions in the 100 km stretch of Highway 17 fromArnpriortoPetawawain the 10 years from 2001 to 2010. But what distinguishes that stretch of highway is, more often than not, the collisions are particularly bad. Fifty people died and 61 were injured in the 38 collisions, meaning an average of close to three people were killed or injured.

A noticeablefactor: large trucks like tractor trailers are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision on the 17 than any of the other Ontario highways we looked at.

What has been done: Construction on the next phase of Highway 17 twinning from Division Street toScheelDrive, is expected to begin in the spring of 2014. An environmental assessment for the next two phases fromScheelDrive to Bruce Street inRenfrew is now complete, but timing of construction is dependant on property acquisitions and future funding. A route that bypassesCobdenand extends to Pembroke is also in the planning stage, but again, notimelinehas been established. In the interim, a number of local measures such as stop lights, clearer signage for merge or through lanes have been enacted in municipalities in the region.

• July 24, 2013:Renfrew woman killed in fiery head-on crash on Hwy. 17
• June 27, 2012: Pembroke woman dies after Highway 17 crash
• Jan. 25, 2011:Woman dead after collision on Hwy 17

Highway 148 east of Thurso

The area: In the 18 km stretch from Thurso to Papineauville, there were 16 fatal collisions from 2001 to 2010 collisions that left 19 dead including two cyclists and one pedestrian and 23 injured. Wet, snowy or icy roads were a factor in five of the collisions.

What has been done: On Nov. 26, 2012, the gap between the western portion of Highway 50 from Gatineau and the eastern portion beginning in Mirabel, was closed, allowing drivers another highway as an alternative to driving on Highway 148.

• Apr 10, 2012: West Quebec crash kills one on Hwy. 148
• Aug. 5, 2008: Crashes kill 4 people in 4 days on Outaouais roads

Highway 105 near Carman Road

The area: A one-kilometre stretch of Highway 105 had four fatal collisions in the three-year stretch from 2005 to 2008. Looking at the geography of the area, it's not hard to imagine why: the highway travels up and down a major hill, with a residential road at the top of the hill. The speed of the highway was 90 km per hour, but work on the extension of Highway 5 led to a lowered the speed limit to 70 km per hour in recent years.

What has been done: Work to extend Highway 5 another twinned highway to Wakefield, Que. is expected to be completed by 2014, effectively turning Highway 105 into a secondary highway for more local traffic, and bypassing this particular section of the road.

• Oct. 15, 2013: 229 total demerit points issued to 2 Ottawa motorcyclists

Highway 417 throughKanata

The area: There were seven fatal collisions on the Queensway from just west of Terry Fox Drive to just east of March Road. Driver impairment was a factor in five of the seven collisions.

What has been done: Highway 417 is being widened from four lanes to eight lanes between March Road in Kanata to Palladium Drive, and from four lanes to six lanes from Carp Road to Highway 7. This work is expected to be completed by 2014.

• July 20, 2009: Fatal collision closes 417 in Kanata

Highway 148 from Luskville to Quyon

The area: There were six fatal crashes from 2001 to 2010 in a 10 km stretch from Luskville to the River bridge in Quyon, and another three in 2011 that killed seven people. Notable among these has a four-vehicle collision in December 2011 that killed a father and his four-year-old son, as well as the driver of the other vehicle, who police said had crossed the centre line at a curve in the road and crashed head-on with the other vehicle. It was also in 2011 near Luskville that two people were killed when a car struck a bear on a rural Quebec highway and sent the animal crashing into a second vehicle.

What is being done: There are no major projects underway to expand or extend the 148 west of Gatineau.