The MTO is fleshing out its plans to improve safety along the 401 through Chatham-Kent and Elgin County. 
MTO officials say it will take about two years to complete an environmental assessment before any work can begin on widening the highway.
A public meeting was held in Lambeth last night to keep up the pressure on the province to install concrete median barriers to help prevent cross-over collisions.
Neil Zohorsky, West Regional Director laid out plans for improving safety on the busy highway, but says change won’t happen overnight.
“It’ll take two and a half to three years to complete the environmental assessment and to build a more detailed plan,” Zohorsky explains. “We have to do environmental studies, we have to do geo-technical and other surveys, it will take time.”
Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Jeff Yurek is concerned about the estimated timeline of 10 years before concrete median barriers can be installed.
“I know when government really has a focus and a heart into something that they truly want to get happening, they can things go quicker,” he says. “I’m hoping we see these barriers in place, permanent concrete barriers, a lot sooner than what’s predicted.”
Chatham’s Alysson Storey, spokesperson for the “Build the Barrier” movement, says she’s glad the conversation about highway safety has evolved, but won’t let up on pushing the government to get the job done.
