Highway 7 safety concerns spark petition for increased surveillance, road improvements

A number of Lanark residents are circulating a change.org petition urging the government to implement increased safety measures on Highway 7. The petition, created by Trisha Searl, went live on Nov. 17, and has accumulated 279 signatures as of the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 21. 

In the petition, Searl writes, “I am respectfully urging the [municipal/provincial government] to take swift action in implementing safety measures, such as increased speed enforcement, additional signage, and structural improvements to reduce accident risks. Highway 7 is a vital route for our community, and it is essential that it is made safer for everyone.”

Searl lives with her husband and son in Munster, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Ottawa, but travels to McDonald’s Corners, Carleton Place and Perth via the Highway 7 corridor frequently.

“We travel along Highway 7 to Ferguson Falls Road, and both my husband and I have been subjected to being cut off, to being kind of harassed along that stretch for not going fast enough, or people trying to merge over or tailgating or just really inappropriate passing.”

Feeling disturbed after hearing of a fatal accident on Highway 7 that killed a local 22-year-old man, Searl felt compelled to join the 613 Wrecked Facebook group to stay up to date on local traffic updates. While receiving these updates, she noticed some very concerning patterns and trends.

“It seems like the trend within Highway 7 is every week, sometimes almost every day there’s a really bad fender bender, or there’s a serious collision head-on or fatality.”

Searl and her family have considered moving to Perth, but do not want to make the move until they feel safer driving on the road every day. “I want it to be safe, and I want to make sure that I get back to my son, who’s going to be going to school there.”

She continued, “I understand with Carleton Place and now Perth growing so exponentially, my concern is as  those communities grow, more and more residents will want to get into Ottawa.”

Searl noted the comparison to previous road expansion projects on the 417 and 416 highways, emphasizing the need for similar improvements and enhancements on Highway 7.

In response to the petition, Searl shared that she has seen many people indicate that it’s not the road, it’s the drivers. In response to that, she told Lanarkist, “We need more surveillance. We need more OPP presence, and we already know that the RCMP, OPP and city police [are] already overworked and underpaid. There’s not enough money to go forward there. So what a few of us have suggested is that there should be increased police presence and if possible, speed cameras.”

In terms of the next steps, Searl is continuing to share the petition with Lanark residents and has sent an email to the federal minister of transportation. She also intends to follow up with the Minister of Ontario Transportation and continue her correspondence with the OPP and the mayors of Carleton Place and Perth.

Lanarkist will continue to provide updates on this story as they become available.