'Build a Barrier' group holding town hall, wants concrete barriers for 401 median

It's known as 'Carnage Alley,' and residents want the carnage to end.

A stretch of Highway 401 between Tilbury and London has been the focus of protests, because of a number of fatal collisions in the last few years.

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A group called "Build the Barrier" is holding its first Town Hall meeting Thursday night in Chatham to rally greater public support for highway safety.

The group's organizer, Alysson Storey had two loved-ones that were killed in a crash this summer. She's lobbying the province to install concrete barriers in the median of the highway.

"Not only does it protect the drivers… it protects the other vehicles on the road," said Storey. 

The government plans to put in a high-tension, cable barrier in the median. An option Storey feels is inadequate.

"All the research has shown that we found so far that they are not effective in stopping the larger commercial vehicles like transport trailer trucks," she said. "They don't have the kind of strength to stop that truck if it gets into trouble from crossing the median."

Storey believes the government is underestimating traffic volumes on the 401 to justify going with the cheaper form of barrier.

"We don't want the cheapest option we want the safest option," said Storey. "It doesn't make any sense to us to build a barrier that's not effective against the most popular type of vehicle on that stretch,"

The meeting will be held at the Active Lifestyle Centre on Merritt Avenue at 7 p.m.