Ontario Provincial Police fully reopen Highway 11 after intense snowfall
Posted December 2, 2024 9:59 am.
Last Updated December 11, 2024 12:05 am.
Ontario Provincial Police officers say they have officially reopened the large stretch of Highway 11 in Cottage Country after the rapid snow accumulation over the weekend saw hundreds of motorists and vehicles trapped.
The northbound lanes of Highway 11 at West Street in Orillia leading up to Highway 60 in Huntsville were lifted early in the afternoon on Monday, but the southbound lanes of the same stretch were closed at Highway 60 in Huntsville until 10 p.m.
The 90-kilometre stretch of highway passes by Bracebridge, Muskoka Airport, Gravenhurst and Washago.
“We understand the frustration that motorists are having as a result of this,” OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said early Monday.
“The vehicles that were on Highway 11 — we’re just waiting for the highway to be made safe for all traffic to start travelling on it.”
Schmidt said Ontario Ministry of Transportation snow-clearing operations restored access to on- and off-ramps in the affected area except for Luigi Road in Gravenhurst.
The region was battered with intense snow squalls over the weekend. Officials in Gravenhurst, where it’s estimated there was 140 centimetres of snowfall, declared a state of emergency.
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria told CityNews equipment and crews from other parts of Ontario were brought in to assist with the cleanup effort. He said parts of the region dealt with 10 to 15 centimetres of snow an hour.
“We know how critical that artery is,” Sarkaria said.
“Over the weekend, we worked tirelessly with the OPP to ensure everybody was safe.”
Meanwhile, the City of Vaughan sent four snow blowers and operators to Gravenhurst to assist with the snow-clearing effort.
With files from The Canadian Press
