Source: RenfrewToday.ca

Renfrew County, Ont. — It took seven fatal collisions, but the province is finally moving to address a stretch of Highway 17 that residents and safety advocates have long flagged as dangerous.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has retained engineering firm Parsons Inc. to carry out a Preliminary Design and Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Study for the intersection of Highway 17 and Pinnacle Road/Storyland Road, located within the Township of Horton in the County of Renfrew. The project has been assigned the designation GWP 4001-23-00.

Seven fatal collisions have occurred on Highway 17 since the start of 2026 — and it’s only July. The most recent came just five days before the study was announced: a 19-year-old Ottawa resident was killed in a crash near the intersection on Friday, July 17.

Only now, after that mounting death toll, has the MTO confirmed it is moving forward with a formal review. The notice of study commencement cites ongoing safety and operational concerns at the intersection as the reason for the assessment. The project team will examine current road and land conditions before developing possible alternatives to the existing layout, which could include new traffic signals, a roundabout, or a full interchange conversion.

How the Study Will Proceed

The project is being carried out under the approved planning process for a “Group B” undertaking, per the MTO’s Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities and Municipal Expressways (2024).

Public consultation will continue throughout the process, with two Public Information Centres expected to be held so residents can learn about the project and provide feedback.

Once the assessment work is complete, a Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) will be released, documenting the EA process, existing conditions, the alternatives considered, the recommended plan, anticipated environmental impacts, and mitigation commitments. That report will be open for a 30-day public comment period once it’s published.

How to Get Involved

Community members who want to weigh in on the project can submit questions or comments through the project website or by emailing the project team directly.

No timeline has yet been announced for when the Public Information Centres will be scheduled or when a preferred alternative might be selected.