Kingston Police advising of road closures for incoming truck convoy
To minimize interruption to the City of Kingston and ensure traffic safety, Kingston Police are advising the public that with the anticipated arrival of the Ottawa-bound truck convoy, Gardiners Road and Highway 38 will be temporarily closed to all traffic near Highway 401 for a number of hours beginning at approximately 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022.
“While not condoning or approving of the convoy, Kingston Police is working in conjunction with the Ontario Provincial Police, Kingston Fire and Rescue, Frontenac Paramedic Services, and various departments with the City of Kingston to reduce any impact on the Kingston community and surrounding area,” Kingston Police said in a media release.
Beginning at approximately 5 p.m. on Thursday, Kingston Police, with assistance from the Kingston Police Community Volunteers (KPCV), will begin erecting barricades and closing Gardiners Road at Cataraqui Woods Drive to the south and Highway 38 at McIvor Road to the north. Police ask all motorists to avoid Gardiners Road from other access point roadways such as Creekford Road, Centennial Drive, Midland Avenue, and Fortune Crescent, as these too will be closed for entry.
While difficult to estimate the length of time required, police anticipated the roadway will be closed for at least two to three hours, possibly reopening at approximately 8 p.m.
According to the release, only emergency vehicles will be allowed access through this closure point. Police said that Kingston Transit will not provide service at the INVISTA Centre during this closure, and transit passengers should refer to the Kingston Transit service alerts webpage at www.kingstontransit.ca for detour information.
Police are asking any businesses located on Gardiners Road between Centennial Drive and Cataraqui Woods Drive to either depart prior to 5 p.m. or only head south to find an alternate route. Additionally, motorists westbound on Highway 401 and planning to exit at Highway 38 are asked to take earlier exits instead to avoid further congestion. Police said that only transport trucks will possibly be allowed southbound access on Highway 38 as per ministry regulations. Any passenger vehicles coming off of Highway 401 westbound will either be directed north on Highway 38 or east on McIvor Road.
According to the release, the convoy will be directed towards parking lots east of Gardiners Road and/or on roadways that are likely to include Centennial Drive, Fortune Crescent, Venture Drive and Resource Road. Motorists are asked to avoid these areas. Police said that all efforts will be made to ensure access to private businesses along these roads remain open.
While there may not be a full closure of Gardiners Road and Highway 38 the morning of Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, when the convoy will be departing Kingston, police ask motorists to seek alternate routes between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m., especially if travelling northbound.
Anticipated barricade locations to prohibit access to Gardiners Road and Highway 38 during the evening of Jan. 27 are:
- Highway 38 at McIvor Road
- Gardiners Road at Centennial Drive/Creekford Drive
- Creekford Road at Bayridge Drive
- Gardiners Road at Macrow Street (from Midland Avenue) and Fortune Crescent North
- Gardiners Road at Fortune Crescent South
- Gardiners Road at Cataraqui Woods Drive
- Venture Drive at Centennial Drive
- Centennial Drive at Cataraqui Woods Drive
With the convoy intended to be in protest of regulations around border crossing with regard to COVID-19 vaccination, the gatherings associated with the convoy as it travels have come under question. Kingston Police said that they are aware that the Reopening Ontario Act will still be in effect during the events, and that they have been in consultation with KFL&A Public Health, however, ultimately, their priority will be managing the traffic and maintaining public and officer safety.
“It’s unlikely that we will be enforcing at the time of the event due to sheer numbers and logistics, most likely we may be identifying and following up for enforcement at a later date” if there are any breaches of the Act, police said.
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