The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has launched a design study to evaluate safety measures on Highway 138 [1].
Local officials and residents are pushing for changes to reduce the frequency of fatal crashes on the single-lane road. The route, which connects Highway 417 and Cornwall, has become a focal point for safety concerns due to heavy truck traffic and dangerous intersections [1, 2, 3].
The study follows a fatal crash at McNeil Road in 2023 that resulted in one death [1]. This incident prompted the province to begin evaluating the road's design in 2024 [2]. Officials said they are specifically examining the feasibility of adding turning lanes and passing lanes to better manage the flow of vehicles and reduce risky overtaking maneuvers [1, 2, 3].
Highway 138 serves as a critical link for the Moose Creek area, but its current configuration struggles to accommodate the volume of heavy transport vehicles [1]. The current study aims to identify the most effective engineering solutions to prevent future tragedies, balancing the needs of local commuters with industrial transport.
While the design study is underway, physical construction will not begin immediately. Major upgrades to the highway are scheduled to start in 2028 [2]. Until then, the province continues to assess the specific needs of the McNeil Road area to ensure the final designs address the root causes of previous accidents [1, 2].
“The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has launched a design study to evaluate safety measures on Highway 138.”
The gap between the 2023 fatality and the 2028 construction start date highlights the slow pace of provincial infrastructure responses. By focusing on turning and passing lanes, the ministry is acknowledging that the current single-lane capacity is insufficient for the region's industrial growth, suggesting that Highway 138's role as a commercial corridor has outpaced its original design.
