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On Friday, November 23rd, 2018, Jeff Yurek, Minister of Transportation, visited a maintenance facility to announce that Ontario’s Government for the People is making the winter commute easier by allowing drivers to track their plow and plan their route all at one stop — the Ontario 511 website.
“Keeping Ontario’s highways as safe as possible during winter weather conditions is a top priority for our government,” said Yurek. “Winter is coming, snow has already fallen in many parts of the province. Before heading out, check Ontario 511 for local highway information and to track snowplows in your area.”
Track My Plow is now available on Ontario 511, so drivers can track the location of snowplows and salt trucks. And before the end of this year, the Ontario 511 website will also provide drivers with Waze publicly reported incidents, traffic jams and weather hazards. Ontario 511 can be accessed via Twitter (@511Ontario), phone (dial 5-1-1), or web (ontario.ca/511).
With more than 1,100 pieces of winter maintenance equipment on provincial highways to help fight winter storms, drivers are reminded to give working snowplows plenty of room.
“Remember to slow down and drive according to weather and road conditions. Please be patient, stay well back and never pass a working snowplow,” said Yurek.
“Drivers need to take their time and drive defensively when we have poor road conditions to reduce the risk of being in a collision,” said OPP Interim Commissioner Brad Blair. “We are all partners in keeping our roads safe for everyone.”
Drivers should install four winter tires for better traction, handling and breaking in snow and ice.
They should also ensure their vehicles are winter-ready by getting a vehicle maintenance check-up and assembling a winter survival kit including items like a flashlight, blanket and shovel. Drivers should also give themselves extra time when travelling in the winter to reach their destinations safely, and if the weather is bad, postpone their trip until conditions improve. If driving in poor weather, drivers should watch for parts of the road that look black and shiny as it may be icy.
QUICK FACTS
Ontario has some of the highest winter maintenance standards in North America.
Over 9 million litres of anti-icing liquid were used in the 2017-2018 season on provincial highways to help prevent ice and snowpack from forming on the road surface.
Ontario 511 is a pre-trip planning tool that lets drivers know about events that may impact their travel on provincial highways. It can be used to view road conditions on 549 highway cameras or as reported by our field staff, forecasted driving conditions which display how weather may impact driving, or weather forecasts and radar from Environment Canada.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Winter Driving in Ontario
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