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Trans-Canada Highway

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Trans-Canada Distress Center Up and Running

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There’s some help for anyone stranded on Highway 17 in the Ignace Area.

The Trans-Canada Distress Center has been set up for vehicle break-downs, tire changes or just a free cup of coffee for tired motorists.

Norm Price operates the center and says they provide help in all sorts of situations.

“People have gone through breakdowns, busting a belt, running out fuel, blown tires, blown engines,” says Price.

“I got the idea just by the amount of calls that we get after hours. I’m listed through Google under Ignace Convenience as 24 hour location and I’ve since decided to use it as a distress (center).”

Price adds the service has also been used during all the road closures this winter.

“Obviously we have a few people coming in. But we’ve had a few people coming in saying ‘hey, all the motels are booked up and ‘we don’t know where to go’. I say you’re more than welcome to stay here in my shop.”

Price says while the Trans-Canada Distress Center is busy during the winter months, it’s also available during the summer.

He adds they are accepting donations through their Go Fund Me site: www.gofundme.com/f/trans-canada-travel-distress-center

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Ontario Not Looking At Alternative To Nipigon Bridge

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The provincial government is scrapping a study to come up with an alternate route to the Nipigon River Bridge.

That’s upsetting to Thunder Bay-Superior North Liberal MPP Michael Gravelle who says it’s important to keep Trans-Canada traffic flowing in the event of another bridge failure.

Gravelle was the Minister of Northern Development in 2016 when the 252-metre cable-stayed bridge failed on January 10, two months after opening.

The bolts on the $106-million structure snapped.

That crippled the transportation network as the national highway was closed for several days.

Gravelle says “Even though we made the right kind of repairs and it’s in great shape. I still think an alternate route is important. So I will be pursuing that with the Minister of Transportation to try and get her to change her mind.”

(With files from Vic Krassowski)

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Fatal Crash On Highway 17

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One person is dead following a two vehicle collision on the Trans-Canada Highway, about 60-kilometres east of Marathon.

Provincial Police say the crash occurred around 1:10 Tuesday afternoon, forcing the closure of Highway 17 for roughly nine hours.

OPP say a westbound pickup truck collided with an eastbound transport.

The lone person in the truck was pronounced dead at the scene.

No name has been released and police continue to investigate the cause.