Anyone who has driven along Trunk 30 in the Acadian Region of Cape Breton knows how dangerous the winds can get in that area.
A nearby weather station has clocked winds speeds over 200km/h on multiple occasions.
Now the province has announced the procurement of two large electronic signs that will make it safer to drive along those roads. They are equipped with flashing lights that will automatically activate in the presence of hazardous winds, warning drivers to exercise extreme caution.
MLA for Inverness Allan MacMaster says he’s been pushing to secure the signs for quite some time.
“This is something that I’ve been asking about for years because people locally have been asking me about it… winds in the Cheticamp region, the Acadian region, are renowned for their ferocity, and people who don’t live in the area just would not know to expect the conditions to occur like they do,” said MacMaster.
The winds can be particularly dangerous or high sided vehicles. Just last month a truck was blown off the road by extreme winds. MacMaster says the driver was lucky to walk away with his life, let alone no major injuries. He detailed some of the harrowing stories he’s heard of as a result of the winds, or les suêtes as the local call them.
“I’ve seen an RV… blown over the side of a cliff into the ocean. And we’ve certainly seen photos over the years of trucks that have blown over,” said MacMaster.
The signs won’t be in place just yet though, as supply chain issues are holding up some of the electrical components needed for them. MacMaster says he’s working to get them installed as soon as possible by that they will be in place by the fall at the latest.
In the meantime, the smaller warning signs that are currently in place will be re-purposed throughout the approximately 20 km stretch of road affected.
MacMaster says he hopes these changes will save lives.
