Staff
Highway 17 is expected to be closed for most of the day due to a multi-vehicle collision between Vermillion Bay and Kenora.
This means Rainy River District can expect higher than normal traffic volumes from the Trans Canada highway traffic being re-routed via Hwy 11, said OPP Cst. Anne McCoy early this morning.
Motorists are reminded to slow down to adjust for winter road conditions, be patient with the increased volume of traffic and allow for extra time in reaching their destination, she added.
Cst. McCoy noted road conditions and road closure information is available by calling 511. Do not call the OPP Communication Centre for road closure information.
“It helps us because we don’t want non-urgent calls about road closures overloading the OPP communications,” she explained, adding the OPP will notify the public as soon as the highway re-opens.
Shortly before 1 a.m. members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Dryden Detachment responded to several Tractor Trailers in the ditch on Hwy. 17 near Nelson Granite.
The icy road conditions caused numerous motor vehicles to be involved forcing the road closure.
Officers from Dryden and Kenora are all on scene along with emergency services including ambulance and Machin fire to assist with clean up.
Only minor injuries have been reported and efforts are still being made to open the highway.
The highway remains closed as of press time.
