$17M Oversized Load Corridor officially opens in Sarnia
Officials in Sarnia are celebrating the official opening of the Oversized Load Corridor (OLC).
OLC Project Manager Lyle Johnson looked east along Exmouth Street from the Sarnia Harbour property, noting how wide open the view is with everything along or over the road removed or pushed back, "All of the wires, cables and interferences along the road allow that flow to go through without any interference."
It's a change most probably wouldn't notice, but what Lyle Johnson sees looking along this stretch of Exmouth is a path to greater opportunities with less disruptions.
It was around this time last year that some significant strategizing had to take place to get four large new beer vats to the Labatt brewery in downtown London.
Teams of London Hydro workers and other agencies worked to temporarily move utility lines and signal lights. The process was slow and created a few travel headaches for commuters.
Those vats arrived by ship and were unloaded in Sarnia. Dealing with loads like this is a common occurrence in that city.
They created the OLC to better deal with large items travelling between the Sarnia Harbour dock and Chemical Valley business. Johnson said planners had specific requirements they needed to accommodate, “A load that was 30ft high, 30ft wide, and 150ft long."
The Oversized Load Corridor is a 27 kilometer stretch that allows easier movement of large items, seen on Nov. 1, 2024. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)
One of the innovations for the 27-kilometer corridor was creating traffic light standards that pivot at their base, "That allows the crews just to pull a pin, rotate them 90 degrees out of the way, let the load go through and then rotate them back. Put the pin back in and restore traffic within minutes once when the load goes through."
Chemical Valley fabricators manufacture large vessels that are used around the world. A journey from business to dock that may have taken 10 to 12 hours, will now take as little as 90 minutes.
That also greatly reduces costs, allowing manufactures to offer more competitive pricing. They've also greatly expanded the area off Sarnia Harbour dock that is part of the OLC and Johnson said the dock has been designed to allow easier and safer loading and unloading, "A load that comes on a carrier can go directly onto a barge straight from, grade level."
The project took almost six years to complete at a cost of approximately $17 million. Funding came from both levels of senior government. It also included a $4 million contribution from education group Cestar, which now has its name on the dock where the OLC meeting the St. Clair River.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It really hurts': The impact of Trump's lies in Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio was once a manufacturing hub. Now, people know it for Trump's comments at September's presidential debate, when he famously - and falsely - told an audience of 67 million people that Haitians eat their pets, echoing claims that had circulated on social media.
Auto theft probe leads to arrest of 59 suspects, recovery of more than 300 stolen vehicles: Toronto police
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
Ont. woman posed as registered nurse in Simcoe County for 4 years: OPP
An Ontario woman is facing serious charges after police allege she pretended to be a registered nurse at several Simcoe County facilities, despite being unqualified.
B.C. mayor's 'luxury' trip to Dubai climate conference was against ethics rules: commissioner
New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone's all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai for a climate conference last December violated the city's Code of Conduct for Council Members and the Community Charter, the city's ethics commissioner has ruled.
At-home brain stimulation relieves symptoms of depression, study finds
A headset worn at home that zaps the brain with the energy of a 9-volt battery could help relieve symptoms of depression, a new study shows.
WATCH 'It's mind-boggling': Drought reveals U.S. town submerged in the 1940s
Hundreds of people are flocking to see a rare site in Pennsylvania: remnants of a historic town that is usually underwater.
Eva Longoria is still making money off of 'John Wick'
In an interview with Business Insider, Longoria talked about investing in the 2014 hit movie after the budget fell short before filming began.
Democrats Abroad Canada warns U.S. voters to take action ahead of possible Canada Post strike
Democrats Abroad Canada is warning Americans that a potential postal workers strike this weekend could affect the ability to vote in next week's election.
Caught on camera: Edmonton police run over woman during welfare call
An Edmonton Police Service officer was caught on camera running over a woman with a marked cruiser last month.